Where in the world: A look at JHU's global endeavors in India

Combating a TB epidemic

India accounts for one-quarter of the cases of tuberculosis infection globally, and nearly 40 percent of its population is infected with the disease, which kills 1.4 million people a year. Researchers in the School of Medicine's Center for Clinical Global Health Education and Center for TB Research—in collaboration with the National Institutes of Research in Tuberculosis, BJ Medical College, and other Indian institutions—are studying the impact of comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, HIV, malnutrition, and host genetics on TB treatment outcomes in adults and children in India, and the impact of these factors on the risk of developing TB and transmitting the disease to household members. The team is also part of a large multicountry network that conducts clinical trials focused on TB/HIV treatment and prevention in Indian pregnant women and children. Also in India, a new study led by Bloomberg School researchers suggests that getting patients quickly evaluated by the right doctors can be just as effective at curbing tuberculosis as a new, highly accurate screening test.