One third of tuberculosis patients in Europe are born abroad. In order to achieve elimination of tuberculosis, strategies for active case detection and prevention of tuberculosis must address foreign-born individuals. However, there is limited evidence regarding risk assessment, curative and preventive management of tuberculosis in foreign-born individuals in low-incidence countries for tuberculosis in Europe.
Antibiotic resistance is increasingly complicating the treatment of tuberculosis. Cultur-based procedures to identify antibiotic resistance are costly and lengthy. Usually, several months elapse between the diagnosis of tuberculosis and the receipt of an antibiogram. New methods of studying the genetic material of tuberculosis bacteria allow rapid and comprehensive information about changes (mutations) in the genetic material of tuberculosis bacteria associated with antibiotic resistance. These molecular predictions of antibiotic resistance using targeted sequencing technologies (t-NGS) are officially recommended by the WHO since summer 2023 for predictions of antibiotic resistance and the composition of therapeutic regimens. The Research Center Borstel is significantly involved in this process and the preparation of the WHO recommendations.
The FZB stands in solidarity with our long-lasting scientific partners in Israel. Our thoughts are with our academic colleagues, their families & friends and all those affected.
With 30 international partners and 20 study sites in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America, the UNITE4TB consortium is building the largest study platform for clinical evaluation of anti-tuberculosis drugs in history.
After 2 ½ years, Professor Christoph Lange, Medical Director at the Research Center Borstel, followed Professor Guy Thwaites from the University of Oxford on October 01. 2023 as Clinical Lead of the consortium. He is now part of the four-member board that oversees UNITE4TB's activities. UNITE4TB is funded jointly as an EU-IMI project with 185 million Euros from the European Commission and the pharmaceutical industry.
Apart from the consortium leadership, the Research Center Borstel is also involved in biomarker evaluation and molecular prediction of antibiotic resistance in UNITE4TB. In total, approximately 3000 patients are expected to be enrolled in clinical trials by 2028, with the first ones starting as early as November 2023.
Further Information:
Contact:
Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c. Christoph Lange
Medizinischer Direktor
Forschungszentrum Borstel, Leibniz Lungenzentrum
Parkallee 35, 23845 Borstel
T +49 4537 188 3010
F +49 4537 188 6030
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Chronic pulmonary infections with molds (Aspergillus) occur more frequently in patients with a history of tuberculosis. The diagnosis of "Chronic Pulmonary Aspergillosis (CPA)" is often based on an immunological footprint of the infection, the detection of Aspergillus specific antibodies in the blood. How well the detection of this test corresponds to the actual presence of CPA has not been known until now.
The Clinical Infectious Diseases team at the Research Center Borstel, in collaboration with the CPAnet study network, has now investigated the correlation between the detection of Aspergillus specific antibodies in the blood and the actual presence of CPA.
For this purpose, blood samples from 47 patients with confirmed CPA (evidence of fungal growth or visualization of fungi under the microscope from tissue samples) were examined for the presence of Aspergillus-specific antibodies (N=47). In addition, blood samples from 303 control subjects at the Medical Clinic of the Research Center Borstel were examined. Detection of Aspergillus-specific antibodies was successful in 85% of patients with confirmed CPA. However, false-positive test results occurred in one third of the healthy control subjects.
"The results of our study confirm a high sensitivity of the Aspergillus-specific antibody test for the diagnosis of CPA," said Professor Christoph Lange, head of the clinical study at the Research Center Borstel. "However, positive test results should always be consistent with radiological findings, as false-positive test results limit the interpretation of the test."
Reference:
Salzer HJF, Reimann M, Oertel C, Davidsen JR, Laursen CB, Van Braeckel E, Agarwal R, Avsar K, Munteanu O, Irfan M, Lange C for the CPAnet. Aspergillus-specific IgG antibodies for diagnosing chronic pulmonary aspergillosis compared to the reference gold standard. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2023 Sep 7:S1198-743X(23)00416-0. doi: 10.1016/j.cmi.2023.08.032. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37689265.
Contact:
Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c. Christoph Lange
Medical Director, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lungcenter
Professor for Respiratory Medicine & International Health, Lübeck University
Parkallee 35, 23845 Borstel, Germany
T +49 4537 188 3321/0
F +49 4537 188 6030
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
