New TB diagnostics
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According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tuberculosis is one of the ten most common causes of death in children under the age of five. One of the main reasons for this is that the disease is often not diagnosed correctly and in good time. This particularly affects regions with few resources. Available tests are too expensive, complex or technically complicated. There is an urgent need for new, child-friendly test procedures that can be carried out using simple samples (e.g. saliva). To change this, the "New TB Diagnostics" research group, led by PD Dr. med. Norbert Heinrich and co-led by Dr. med. Laura Olbrich, DPhil, is evaluating new diagnostics. To this end, studies on new TB diagnostics are prepared, conducted and evaluated.
One focus is RaPaed-AIDA-TB (Rapid and Accurate Diagnosis of Paediatric TB - An AIDA (Assessment of Innovative Diagnostic and Algorithms for Early and Sensitive Detection of Acute TB)), one of the largest TB diagnostic studies in children. The ERASE-TB (Early risk assessment in TB contacts by the use of new tests) study aims to establish the early diagnosis of developing tuberculosis in TB contacts using new diagnostic assays. Results of the project were published in October 2023 in the journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases (see LMU news release, 31.10.2023).
The results of the research will also be incorporated into the development of TB diagnostic recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. med. Laura Olbrich, DPhil, took part in a consultative meeting with WHO representatives in Osaka, Japan.
The research group is also working, for example as part of the UNITE4TB research consortium, on the development and clinical evaluation of diagnostic biomarkers for personalized, shortened tuberculosis treatment (see also TB drug development research group). -
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Decide TB
Rapid and accurate diagnosis of paediatric tuberculosis (RaPaed TB)
Early Risk Assessment in TB contacts by new diagnostic tests (ERASE-TB)
In the ERASE-TB (Early risk assessment in TB contacts by the use of new tests) study, the early diagnosis of developing tuberculosis in TB contacts will be established using new diagnostic assays. In 2021, the international research team began recruiting up to 2,100 contact persons with infectious pulmonary tuberculosis for the study. The study is being conducted with local partners in Tanzania, Mozambique and Zimbabwe and will be followed up for up to 2 years.
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