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Article: TBES study to tackle immunogenetic factors: could be used to winnow candidates for LTBI.(TB Epidemiologic Studies Consortium)(latent tuberculosis infection)
- Article from:
- TB Monitor
- Article date:
- December 1, 2001
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 A Thomson Healthcare Company. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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A study of what genetic factors make someone more likely to progress to active TB is one subject that soon will be tackled by the new TB Epidemiologic Studies Consortium (TBES). If researchers find genes linked to resistance or susceptibility, think how much easier a contact investigation could be, says Mary Reichler, MD, the principal investigator for the new study.
"We know only one in 10 people who are latently infected goes on to develop active disease," says Reichler. "If we could devise a test for those determinants, you could theoretically pick out those people and know that they would probably be the only ones who'd need isoniazid prophylaxis."
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