Acronym
AE-TBC

Full Title
The evaluation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis specific host cytokine signatures in whole blood culture supernatants as diagnostic biomarkers for active TB infection

Programme
EDCTP Integrated Project

Contract Number
IP_09_32040_011

Abstract
AE-TBC aims at developing new, sensitive, inexpensive and field friendly diagnostic tests for tuberculosis (TB). The diagnosis of TB is hampered by the poor sensitivity of the main diagnostic test  (sputum examination) that is used in most of the high TB prevalence areas. sputum culture, although more sensitive, is expensive and it takes several days to weeks to obtain a result and patient samples often have to be transported to centralized laboratories to perform these tests, which may result in the loss of samples or logistical challenges. Interferon gamma release assays accurately indicate Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection but do not discriminate between latent and active tuberculosis. AE-TBC research activities focus on the evaluation of specific host cytokine signatures in whole blood culture supernatants as diagnostic biomarkers for active TB infection. In this context, a clinical trial will be performed to assess the ability of combinations of specific biomarkers to reliably differentiate between active and latent TB. The project will also facilitate capacity development to perform clinical trials in established and less established field sites and their parent African institutions.

Project Funding
3,349,570 €

Duration
36 months (16/06/2010 – 15/06/2013)

Coordinator
Stellenbosch University
Department of Biomedical Sciences
Prof. Gerhard Walzl
Phone: +27 21 9389158
Email

Partners
Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Department of Biomedical Sciences (Prof. Gerhard Walzl)

Medical Research Council, The Gambia (Dr. Martin Ota)

Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Ethiopia (Rawleigh Howe)

Makerere University CWRU, Uganda
Uganda Case Research Collaboration (Prof. Harriet Mayanja-Kizza)

Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Institute, Ethiopia (Desta Kassa)

University of NamibiaFaculty of Medical and Health Sciences (Dr. Marieta van der Vyver)

Karonga Prevention Study, Malawi (Dr. Neil French/Dr. Mia Crampin)

Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Germany
Department of Immunology (Prof. Stefan H.E. Kaufmann)

Leiden University Medical Centre, The Netherlands
Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion (Prof. Tom Ottenhoff)

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases (Prof. Hazel Dockrell)

Statens Serum Institute, Denmark (Prof. Mark Doherty)

European Research and Project Office GmbH, Germany (Claudia Giehl) 

Contact at Eurice
Claudia Giehl
Senior Programme Manager
Phone: +49 681 9592 3378
Email

Project Website
www.ae-tbc.eu