The use of the shortened 9-month treatment regimen for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), known as the ‘Bangladesh regimen’ has shown to be successful in 83% of children and adolescents diagnosed with rifampicin-resistant (RR) TB.

All-cause 8-week mortality is reduced by rapid point-of-care urine-based testing for tuberculosis (TB), using a test for detection of mycobacterial lipoarabinomannan (LAM) to guide rapid treatment initiation in hospitalised HIV-positive people with signs and symptoms of TB, according to a late-breaker study presented by Dr Jonny Peter of the University of Cape Town, and colleagues, at the 46th Union World Conference on Lung Health in Cape Town from 2 to 6 December 2015.

Although the introduction of the Xpert MTB/RIF test for TB and drug-resistant TB has improved the time from clinic presentation to second-line treatment in South Africa since 2011, improved access to treatment and a reduction in delays of treatment initiation are still required in many settings, according to a retrospective analysis presented by Dr Helen Cox of the University of Cape Town at the 46th Union World Conference on Lung Health in Cape Town from 2 to 6 December 2015.

One in eight children with confirmed TB have drug-resistant TB in Cape Town, South Africa, according to a surveillance study of childhood TB drug-resistance, presented by Professor Simon Schaaf at the 46^th Union World Conference on Lung Health held in Cape Town from 2 to 6 December 2015.

Community care worker active case finding is an effective tool for increasing TB case detection, according to two studies presented at the 46^th Union World Conference on Lung Health held in Cape Town from 2 to 6 December. Finding and diagnosing TB is the essential first step to closing the global gap in diagnosing TB.

Three quarters of people with HIV/TB co-infection did not receive Xpert MTB/RIF testing for TB diagnosis between 2012 and 2014, according to a survey of cohorts in 19 low- and middle-income countries by the International Epidemiologic Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) Consortium, presented by Dr Kate Clouse at the 46th Union World Conference on Lung Health in Cape Town from 2 to 6 December.

HIV activist groups in South Africa are calling on the Minister of Health to address drug supply chain problems which are causing HIV and TB drug stock-outs in the country’s Eastern Cape province.