Common statin, pravastatin, May Protect Against Active TB
Risk for active tuberculosis may be reduced with the use of statins. This finding was published in a letter to the editor in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. The protective effect of treatment with a statin against active TB infection was driven by the patients who underwent treatment with pravastatin (n=11; aRR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.30-0.98; P <.05). However, the mechanistic difference among the varying statins that may be driving this pattern of protection remains unclear.
Scientists Develop Skin Sticker That Can Diagnose Tuberculosis
The new method, A-Patch, uses a sticker that absorbs compounds released by the skin upon contact. The compounds are then analyzed by an artificial intelligence-based system, which can determine quickly and with accuracy whether or not an individual has tuberculosis. This technology, cheaper that sputum smears, promises to aid in diagnosis in developing countries, where 95% of worldwide cases occur.
CDI Scientists Discover New Tuberculosis Treatment Pathway
The new findings show how the enzyme inhibitor triaza-coumarin, or TA-C, is metabolized by the TB germs, which makes it effective in inhibiting the disease from within, like in a “Trojan horse” attack, according to the new paper in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
New Research Shows Mental Health Linked to Tuberculosis Risk
New research presented at the European Conference on Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) shows that people with mental illnesses, such as depression and schizophrenia, have a higher incidence of tuberculosis (TB). The authors concluded: “Our data demonstrate that individuals with mental illnesses, including depression and schizophrenia, have a higher incidence of tuberculosis, and therefore represent a high-risk population that can be targeted for detection and treatment.”