The fight continues to end tuberculosis

Today is World TB Day. The Centenary Institute is one of the leading medical research institutes in Australia championing the fight to put an end to this insidious disease.

Tuberculosis (TB) has haunted humanity for ages and it remains the second largest infectious disease killer today. TB still kills 3 people every minute.

Although rates in Australia are generally low, TB continues to flourish in areas affected by poverty and social disruption. The rising tide of drug-resistant TB heralds the prospect of virtually untreatable disease and is one of the most critical health challenges facing the Asia-Pacific region.

Professor Warwick Britton, who leads the Centenary Institute’s TB Program, yesterday joined Australia’s leading tuberculosis (TB) experts and health advocates in Parliament House to launch the newly formed “TB Forum”.

“TB is a preventable and curable disease, so its astounding death toll is simply unacceptable,” Professor Britton said.

“In order to put an end to TB, Australia’s leadership is vital. We need an increased and coordinated response in the Asia-­‐Pacific region.”

The Centenary Institute, in partnership with the University of Sydney, the Woolcock Institute and the University of Melbourne, has established the Centre for Research Excellence in Tuberculosis Control (TB-­CRE). The TB-CRE supports world-­‐leading research across the full translational spectrum, from basic science discovery to public health practice and policy.

Medical research includes the development of experimental vaccines using a variety of strategies, understanding host immune responses and biomarker development for improved monitoring of disease processes and the exploration of new diagnostic applications. In addition, there are several active projects in TB drug discovery.

Further information about the Centenary Institute’s collaborative TB research and its goal to raise awareness and funds to end TB is available at www.tb.org.au

Source: www.tb.org.au