Aggressive treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) significantly reduces the risk of disease recurrence, investigators report in the online edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases. Patients who received intensive therapy for at least 18 months after cure were 60% less likely to have disease recurrence than patients who received less aggressive therapy.

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), oral thrush and wasting among people starting HIV therapy in Tanzania, investigators report in the online edition of the Journal of Infectious Diseases. People with vitamin D deficiency were almost three times more likely to develop TB than those with adequate levels of the vitamin.

People living with HIV who have a history of active tuberculosis (TB) have a significant risk of the recurrence of the disease, investigators report in the online edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Infection with HIV is a major risk factor for the development of resistance to key second-line anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs, US investigators report in the online edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases.

People with HIV reduce their overall risk of tuberculosis (TB) by starting antiretroviral therapy, an international team of investigators report in the online edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases. Despite this, the risk of the disease increased in the first three months of HIV treatment, especially for older people and those with a low CD4 cell count. For severely immunosuppressed people, the risk of TB remained increased in the longer term.

Investment in national tuberculosis (TB) programmes improves TB detection rates, a study published in a special supplement of the Journal of Infectious Diseases shows.

Undiagnosed tuberculosis (TB) is common among patients receiving routine HIV care in South Africa, a study published in the online edition of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes suggests, reinforcing World Health Organization guidance regarding routine screening of people with HIV for TB.

Only 50% of countries in receipt of grants from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria provide tuberculosis (TB) services in prisons, according to research published in a special supplement of the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

A low CD4 cell count is associated with more severe forms of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), US investigators report in the online edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases. The mortality rate among patients with this form of disease was high.