VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1, MARCH 2021
THE MONTHLY DOSE

WHAT’S NEW AT THE MUELLER HEALTH FOUNDATION:

For World TB Day onMarch 24th, 2021 ourcommitment is:

“The clock is tickingand it’s time toenhance preventionand treatmentoptions for all formsof TB through newdigital technologies.”

LATEST NEWS: LAUNCH OF OUR MONTHLY NEWS LETTER

The team at the Mueller Health Foundation is excited toannounce the launch of our monthly newsletter:

TheMonthly Dose

We believe this is a great way to shareinformation with our network and to foster engagement,communication, and collaboration amongst our stakeholders.

We are committed to share interesting news, research,events, and facts around tuberculosis (TB) and hope toengage our community in raising awareness about this deadlyinfectious disease. Each newsletter will contain a brief updateon what we are currently working on at the Mueller HealthFoundation as well as our top 3 picks of novel researchfindings and news around the prevention and treatment oftuberculosis around the world.

MHF TOP PICKS FOR MARCH

Every month, we at the Mueller Health Foundation like to showcase interesting news and updates in the field of tuberculosis. Below are our top 3 picks for March:

1.The Doctor Will Sniff You Now

Recent research has found that many diseases, including cancer, tuberculosis, and Parkinson’s, can manifest themselves through volatile compounds that change a person’s scent. This finding can provide a basis for novel approaches to how diseases, including TB, are diagnosed. To learn more about what the future of diagnosing diseases might look like and to explore Smell Biology, Pet Doctors, and Deep Nose AI computers, read the full article at: https://www.laboratoryequipment.com/573757-The-Doctor-Will-Sniff-You-Now/

DID YOU KNOW?

  • Around the globe,3 people die of TBevery minute.

  • The COVID 19pandemic and itsassociatedpolicies, such aslockdowns, havehad a negativeimpact on globalTB detection andcare programmes.

  • A global TB casedetectiondecrease by anaverage 25% overa period of 3months, (ascompared to thelevel of detectionbefore thepandemic) willlead to apredictedadditional190,000 TBdeaths.

  • COVID 19 turnedback the clock onTB response by 8years.

2. New Biomarker Indicates Individual Treatment Duration

The treatment of tuberculosis is long and demanding. In particular, in cases of resistant tuberculosis, the WHO generally recommends a standard treatment duration of at least 18 months, as there are no reliable biomarkers for an early termination. Scientists have now succeeded in identifying a biomarker that points to an individual end of therapy based on the activity of 22 genes. If validated in patients, in many cases it eventually could allow the treatment to be shortened and will foster the shift towards individualized and precision medicine. Read the full article here: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/02/210219111806.htm

3. We’re Better Off with mRNA Vaccines

Harvard Chan School immunologist Sarah Fortune takes on common misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccines, and discusses the ways that mRNA technology could be used to create vaccines for diseases like TB and cancer. To learn more, read the full article here:

We’re better off with mRNA vaccines

DON’T FORGET: MARCH 24TH IS WORLD TB DAY

For more information on how to participate and help raise awareness, go to the StopTB Partnership website:

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/multimedia-article/were-better-off-with-mrna-vaccines/