Diagnosing multi drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) will now take just two days' time. In a major announcement on Monday, the World Health Organisation decided to make widely available a path-breaking rapid molecular diagnostic tool that will generate TB test results in two days flat. Currently, standard tests take up to three months. This is why only 2% of MDR-TB cases worldwide are being diagnosed and treated appropriately.

the tuberculosis (tb) bacteria kill two people every three minutes. The bacteria uses iron from the human body to survive. But the mechanism by which they source the iron was not known. Researchers from the University of Hyderabad have recently cracked the mechanism. Their research paves the way for new medicines to treat the disease better. The tb pathogen sources its iron through

About 252 persons died of malaria during the last year in Bangladesh and 70 upazilas under 13 districts in the country have been marked as vulnerable to malaria in the country. These districts include Cox's Bazar, Chittagong, Bandarban, Rangam-ati, Khagrachhari, Sylhet, Sunam-ganj, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Netrakona, Mymensingh, Sherpur and Kurigram. This information was disclosed at a discussion styled 'role of the media for controlling malaria' held at the conference room of the Cox's Bazar zila parishad Thursday morning.

A handful of Republican senators is blocking action on a bill that would greatly increase American funding to combat AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria around the world. If their delaying tactics succeed, the United States will lose considerable leverage in trying to persuade other advanced nations to contribute substantially more money to fight against global disease at the upcoming meeting of the Group of 8 industrial nations.

The Ceylon National Association for the Prevention of Tuberculosis (CNAPT) marks it 60th anniversary today. The Ceylon National Association for the Prevention of Tuberculosis was the brainchild of Dr. J.H. Jayasuriya. He realised the need for a voluntary organisation to augment the efforts of the Government to control the diseases. He initially conceived the idea, implemented it and eventually built and nurtured the CNAPT into a very effective organisation.

India continues to have the highest TB burden in the world. Research needs to be stepped up to deliver a new generation of effective anti-TB drugs and diagnostics to keep co-infected people alive -Bobby Ramakant On June 9, for the first-time government, public health and business leaders, heads of UN agencies and advocates are coming together at United Nations (UN) Headquarters to acknowledge HIV/TB as an urgent priority. This first HIV/TB Global Leaders' Forum, convened by Dr Jorge Sampaio, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Stop TB, seeks to galvanize leadership at all levels.

Large parts of the world have not enjoyed the remarkable global progress in health conditions that have taken place over the past century. Indeed, millions of deaths in impoverished nations are avoidable with prevention and treatment options that the rich world already uses. This year, 10 million children will die in low- and middle-income countries. If child death rates were the same as those in developed countries, this figure would be lower than one million. Conversely, if child death rates were those of rich countries just 100 years ago, the figure would be 30 million.

After several hurdles, a consignment of air-monitoring devices that calculate nicotine levels in buildings has finally reached the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD), which is coordinating with the Health Ministry in its fight against tobacco. With the aim of making Delhi, Chennai, Chandigarh and Ahmedabad smoke-free, Johns Hopkins University sent 160 air-nicotine monitors

Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) have found that a toxic gas present in air pollution and tobacco smoke plays a significant role in triggering tuberculosis infection. For the study, researchers study focused on carbon monoxide (CO), a colourless, odourless gas present in tobacco smoke, and vehicle and manufacturing plant emissions. CO is also produced naturally in brushfires and volcanic gas.