TB
Tuberculosis has a disproportionate effect on the lives of people living with serious health issues such as HIV.
Although there have been vast improvements in the number of people living with HIV who have access to treatment, TB continues to be a real problem. Tuberculosis is the most common opportunistic infection and cause of death for people living with HIV. The World Health Organization states that more than 450,000 of the people who died from TB in 2007 were infected with HIV, more than double the estimated global total of 200,000 in 2006.
Smoking increases sex hormones and disease risk
From redpepper.co.ug
A new study has found that postmenopausal women who smoke have higher levels of sex hormones and run higher risks of falling prey to chronic diseases than their non-smoking counterparts. go
Lung cancer on the increase in Uganda
From www.newvision.co.ug
Cases of lung cancer are on the increase in both women and men of old age in Uganda, according to Kampala Cancer Registrar Henry Wabinga. go
How a volunteer saved the life of Maria Phiri
The involvement of communities in any health program cannot be over-emphasised. When volunteer Victoria Kangwata came across Maria Phiri and her son, her intervention saved Maria’s life. KC Chineduari reports. more
Tuberculosis relative could be new vaccine
From www.bbc.co.uk
Injecting modified bacteria related to those which cause tuberculosis could protect against the lung disease, US scientists say.
Experiments on mice showed the injections could completely eliminate tuberculosis bacteria in some cases, Nature Medicine reports. The only TB vaccine - the BCG jab - is not very effective…………. go
New hopes for highly effective TB jab
From www.presstv.com
Scientists say they have developed a vaccine for tuberculosis that can completely eliminate tuberculosis (TB) bacteria and build up unprecedented protection in mice.
The only long used and available TB vaccine called BCG has found to be not so much effective in making protection with efficacy varying between 0 to 80 percent in different parts of the world. The World Health Organization (WHO),…… go
Heat sensor provides fast, cheap TB detection method
From www.scidev.net
A potentially cheaper and faster method for diagnosing tuberculosis (TB) has been developed by researchers who hope to test it in Tanzania. go
Taking action on the link between TB and diabetes - launch of new collaborative framework
WHO and the International Union Against TB and Lung Disease (The Union) have developed a Collaborative Framework for Care and Control of Tuberculosis and Diabetes, which presents recommendations based on evidence from three systematic reviews and a series of expert consultations.
It outlines essential steps for coordinated action in three areas: establishment of mechanisms for collaboration between national TB programmes and suitable counterparts responsible for care and control of diabetes; improved detection and management of TB in patients with diabetes; improved detection and management of diabetes in patients with TB.
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Shorter treatment for drug-resistant TB shows excellent results in Africa
From www.theunion.org
Four francophone African countries recently shared their successful experience using a shortened regimen for treating MDR-TB go
