tuberculosis vaccine

Prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis and associated factors among suspected tuberculosis patients attending Halaba Kulito General Hospital, Ethiopia: cross-sectional study.

Mesele Derso Wale DW, Ayele Gizachew G, Gashaw Birku B, Fekadu Bisrat B et al.

Pulmonary tuberculosis remains the leading cause of mortality worldwide from a single infectious agent. This is more pronounced in resource-limited settings like Ethiopia, where HIV co-infection is more common. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis and its associated factors among suspected pulmonary tuberculosis patients attending Halaba Kulito General Hospital. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from October 27 to December 27, 2025, at Halaba Kulito General Hospital. Sputum samples were collected and analyzed using GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay following standard operating procedures. Descriptive statistics, bivariable, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess factors associated with pulmonary tuberculosis, with statistical significance set at a p-value < 0.05 at a 95% confidence level. The prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis among the study participants was 8.0% (13/163; 95% CI 4.3-13.3%). HIV seropositivity (AOR = 6.683, 95% CI = 1.286-34.727) and alcohol consumption (AOR = 3.773, 95% CI = 1.047-13.593) were independently associated with pulmonary tuberculosis. This study found a non-negligible prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis among the study population. HIV seropositivity and alcohol consumption were significantly associated with pulmonary tuberculosis. These findings support the need for integrated tuberculosis and HIV services and consideration of alcohol-use assessment within tuberculosis screening and prevention activities.

Engineered ESAT-6 Linear Epitopes in Tuberculosis: An Interesting Immunologic Signal, but Diagnostic Efficacy Still Needs Clinical Validation.

Shadbash Piruz P

Post-tubercular bronchopleural fistula with tension hydropneumothorax: a rare case and its management and diagnostic challenges in a low-income country: a case report.

Wakoya Amanuel Dagabas AD, Negash Ayto Addisu AA, Assefa Fitsum Negusse FN

A bronchopleural fistula (BPF) accompanied by tension hydropneumothorax is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of tuberculosis, posing significant diagnostic and treatment challenges. Effective management requires a multidisciplinary approach, particularly when there are additional concurrent infections involved. A 28-year-old Black Ethiopian male with no significant past medical history presented to the emergency department with a 1-week exacerbation of shortness of breath, alongside a 2-month history of productive cough, weight loss, and night sweats. He was diagnosed with tuberculosis via GeneXpert testing and subsequently bronchopleural fistula complicated by hydropneumothorax with imaging. Management consisted of chest tube drainage, intravenous antibiotic therapy, and standard first-line antitubercular treatment. The patient showed significant improvement and was discharged in stable condition. This case highlights a rare complication of cavitary tuberculosis and demonstrates that bronchopleural fistula can be successfully managed with nonsurgical approaches, resulting in clinical recovery and lung re-expansion, while also providing insights into diagnostic and management strategies.

First mRNA Cancer Vaccine Succeeds in Phase III Trial.

Adding the mRNA-based individualized neoantigen vaccine intismeran autogene to the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab following surgery for melanoma reduced the risk of disease recurrence or death by 42%, according to the results of the phase III INTerpath-0001 trial. The data were presented at the ESMO Congress 2026, held October 23-27, in Madrid, Spain.