In 2016, the World Health Assembly launched the WHO’s ‘End TB Strategy’, an ambitious project aimed at reducing TB incidence by 90% by 2035 and progressing to just 1 TB case per million by 2050 worldwide. Key strategies to achieve TB elimination include optimizing treatment regimens to shorten their duration and enhancing diagnostic methods.
Our consortium is dedicated to strengthening the European-Latin American TB Research Collaboration Network (EUSAT-RCS), providing capacity building for TB professionals in Paraguay and Europe, and establishing a Latin American TB clinical hub. We have assembled a diverse group of early-stage and experienced researchers, technicians, and other professionals to conduct clinical research, ranging from the epidemiology of TB in vulnerable populations to genome-wide association studies and the validation of an innovative Electronic Nose device for point-of-care diagnostics.
Our consortium has three specific research objectives:
1. Investigate under-explored aspects of TB drug treatment.
2. Validate a portable, battery-powered Electronic Nose (eNose) device as a novel and promising point-of-care diagnostic tool for TB.
3. Evaluate the eNose device as a biomarker for treatment response.
Conclusion of the action: Over the past five years, our initiative has been highly successful in strengthening TB research. Our research in five Paraguayan prisons has significantly impacted TB management in Latin America. However, the eNose device we tested was found to be only 62% effective in diagnosing TB. Currently, a clinical drug trial with an optimized dose of rifampicin is recruiting participants in three countries and is expected to conclude by the end of 2025. This ongoing trial demonstrates the sustainability of our consortium, showcasing our commitment and proving us to be a solid, enthusiastic group of TB researchers dedicated to the mission to "END TB".
