About "Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis"

 

　Profile #34: Dr. NAKAJIMA Chie, Professor

　Division of Bioresources,

　International Institute for Zoonosis Control

 

　【Research Topics】

　・Molecular epidemiology and mechanical analysis of antimicrobial resistance based on

　　One Health Approach

　・Development of novel therapeutic approach against multidrug-resistant bacteria

　

  ～Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis～ 

 

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that still causes about 10 million new cases a year and kills more than 1.5 million people every year. In the past, it claimed many victims in Japan, including young people, but the disease has largely been neglected in developed countries since the development of good anti-TB drugs. In developing countries, however, despite the WHO's flagship initiative to fight the disease, there has been no significant progress. This is due to delayed detection and inadequate treatment of patients. Treatment of TB takes several months, and if treatment is interrupted for financial or other reasons, this can lead to the development of drug-resistant TB. Uncured patients are the next source of infection, and the chain of transmission can sometimes lead to the development of highly infectious multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are the only ways to prevent the spread of TB and MDR-TB.

We believe that if there were a simple, rapid and inexpensive diagnosis methods, even in areas without electricity, water supply or skilled inspectors, many people would be able to receive appropriate treatment, and it could break the chain of spread of MDR-TB strains. Based on the concept of 'isothermal amplification of pathogen-specific genes and their visual detection', we are developing detection, drug resistance determination and typing methods for various pathogens including Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

　Many international students from Asian and African countries 

　come to study in our laboratory.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

　PCR tube-sized spoligotyping kit “SpoligoArray”

　for Mycobacterium tuberculosis typing.