Foster development and evaluation of tests for progression of LTBI to active disease
NDWG priority addressed
Support the goal of disease elimination by addressing the reservoir of TB infection and efficiently introduce targeted preventive therapy.
Required tests: Tests for better detection of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and for predicting the risk of progression from latent infection to active TB disease (Tests of progression of LTBI).
Background
Reactivation of LTBI is the source of the vast majority of new TB cases in low transmission areas. As global TB incidence declines, preventing progression from LTBI to active TB will become more and more crucial for TB elimination. Treatment of individuals with LTBI requires a diagnostic test to identify the small proportion of latently infected persons who will progress to active disease.
Goal and Objectives
Enhance the knowledge base and support consensus-building by engaging participation of key experts and stakeholders towards further development and finalization of the following resources
- Target Product Profile (TPP) for a test of progression of LTBI;
- Framework for the evaluation of new LTBI tests;
- Viewpoint paper on novel diagnostic tests required to comprehensively accomplish LTBI management.
Work plan highlights and main activities
- Online consultation on the draft TPP for a test of progression of LTBI
- 2nd Expert workshop on performance and cost-effectiveness studies of LTBI to be held on 1st July 2016 in Milan, Italy, at San Raffaele Scientific Institute
- Session on LTBI at the NDWG Annual Meeting 2016 in Liverpool
Coordinator
Dr. Alberto Matteelli, University of Brescia, Italy
Task Force members
- Gavin Churchyard, Aurum Institute, South Africa
- Daniela Cirillo, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Italy (NDWG Co-Chair)
- Frank Cobelens, AIGHD and KNCV, The Netherlands
- Christopher Gilpin, WHO Global TB Programme
- Delia Goletti, National Institute for Infectious Diseases, Italy
- Amita Gupta, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, United States
- Sandra Kik, KNCV, The Netherlands
- Christian Lienhardt, WHO Global TB Programme, Switzerland
- Dick Menzies, McGill, Canada
- Lele Rangaka, University College London, UK
- Samuel Schumacher, FIND, Switzerland
- Alessandra Varga, FIND, Switzerland (NDWG Secretariat)