About TB Development

TB derives from the word “tuberculosis”. An estimated one-third of all people are infected with tuberculosis. Most have latent, or inactive, cases. They do not suffer coughing, increased body temperature or other signs of active TB. But each year, about nine million people develop active cases and two million die. TB is an ancient bacterial disease. It can be cured with antibiotics, if patients take all their medicine. The victims, though, are mostly poor and live in developing countries.
I just remember that my uncle has passed away caused by this disease; they are living in poor environment, and can’t afford to cure it. A skin test has been the traditional way to identify latent TB. When cases are found, treatment can prevent many from becoming active. But the preventive drugs have a risk of side effects. The skin test depends on the body's reaction to an injection of specially prepared TB protein. But the test often falsely identifies people as having latent TB if they have been vaccinated against the disease. To avoid needless treatment, scientists have developed a blood test. This test is designed to identify patients with a high risk of developing the active form of TB.
I learned that the new experimental vaccine contains a weakened TB bacterium from a strain of the current vaccine. The experimental vaccine created stronger responses against TB than the traditional one. But the new vaccine contains an antibiotic-resistant gene that the scientists do not want released into the environment. So the vaccine will not be tested further. But research will continue on a similar one that does not contain the gene.