On the 28th of March 2024, filled with Easter cheer our community outreach and clinical teams visited our local clinics and communities, to educate them about Tuberculosis (TB) and TB Clinical Trials. They educated the community about TB infection, prevention, symptoms, and treatment. They also shared our mission to play a key role in the discovery of new, safer, more tolerable, shorter TB drug treatment regimens, with global organizations like the TB Alliance.
Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB) is caused by a mycobacteria- Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. This mycobacterium inhabits the lungs and other organs, and is spread from person to person, by droplets suspended in the air around us. When an infectious person coughs or sneezes, these droplets are spread into the air and inhaled by others, where it travels to the lungs, and potentially other organs. TB infection does not immediately lead to TB disease. The mycobacteria can form a granuloma and be controlled by the body for as long as the immune system can fight it. Immunocompromised individuals are unable to fight the pathogen, and so develop TB much faster.
The characteristic symptoms of TB include drenching night sweats, coughing, losing weight and haemoptysis (coughing up blood). TB can spread beyond the lungs, through the blood and lymphatic systems, resulting in extrapulmonary TB. This type of TB will present with symptoms specific to the organ with TB disease.
TB infection can occur more than once, if it is inadequately treated, or if you are reinfected after completing treatment.
We thoroughly enjoyed engaging with our communities and encouraged them to get tested for TB and join us as we advance TB treatment with the TB Alliance Clinical Trial.