QIAGEN leads the charge as tuberculosis reemerges as a leading infectious killer

Thousands of healthcare professionals, advocates, and public policymakers from over 170 countries are attending the annual Global TB Summit, (October 8–11, 2024) sponsored by QIAGEN, as the world confronts the resurgence of tuberculosis (TB) as one of the deadliest infectious diseases.

At his year’s Summit, scheduled in a hybrid format with virtual and in-person meetings in London, UK, 35 leading TB experts will discuss new ways to address the urgent need for intensified action against TB. The summit is free to attend online and offers participants the opportunity to earn CPD and CME credits.

The event will cover critical topics such as global and regional TB updates, challenges in special populations, the impact of co-morbidities and the socioeconomic factors influencing TB. Attendees will also hear personal narratives from patients and healthcare workers on the frontlines, providing both educational and inspirational content for all participants. Additionally, the event will cover advancements in TB diagnostics, prevention and treatment strategies.

After a decline of about 2% per year between 2020 and 2022, the tuberculosis incident rate rose by 3.9% in 2022. An estimated 10.6 million people worldwide fell ill with tuberculosis in 2022, leading to 1.3 million deaths. This made tuberculosis the second leading infectious disease killer after COVID-19¹.

The identification and treatment of latent TB infection is critical to curbing the spread of the disease. An estimated one quarter of the world’s population is believed to have latent TB. This makes the infection a silent threat, with those infected showing no symptoms of the disease. The infection can stay latent for years, but may progress to active TB in some patients, further transmitting and spreading the disease. QFT-Plus plays a crucial role in identifying those infected before they develop symptoms, enabling preventative treatment that can break the cycle of TB transmission.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), access to early and accurate diagnosis is a key factor for the End TB Strategy¹. One test endorsed by the WHO is QIAGEN’s leading TB blood test QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT^®-Plus), producing more accurate results than the century-old skin test. It is unaffected by prior BCG vaccination and is optimized to elicit both CD8 and CD4 T cell responses.

With over 125 million tests distributed across more than 130 countries, QIAGEN’s QuantiFERON technology has been pivotal in national TB control strategies, aiding in the early detection and prevention of TB.

“Tuberculosis remains a significant global threat, even though it is both preventable and curable. At the Global TB Summit 2024, we are focusing on the most pressing challenges. Our mission is clear: to harness innovation and foster global collaboration in our fight against this deadly disease. Only by coming together and leveraging our collective expertise can we seek to have a TB-free world,” said Glen Hansen, Chief Medical Officer at QIAGEN.

References

¹ WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2023.

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