Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria that cause tuberculosis (TB), live in approximately one in three people worldwide. The bacteria can lie latent inside the body for decades until it becomes active in 10% of infected people. Active TB kills one person every 20 seconds.
Efforts to control the spread of TB received a much-needed boost last Tuesday when Sydney's Centenary Institute opened a new $1.2 million high biosecurity lab for tuberculosis research.
The new laboratory is fitted with airlocks and researchers must wear full biocontainment suits when handling and culturing the deadly bacteria.
Read more about the new laboratory and about tuberculosis in my recent article here
No comments:
Post a Comment