Tuberculosis
World's deadliest infectious disease
Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by the M. tuberculosis bacterium, which mainly affects the lungs. When an infected person coughs, sneezes or spits, TB bacteria can be transmitted to others through the air. With around 1.5 million deaths a year, TB is the world’s deadliest infectious disease. More than 95% of TB cases and deaths occur in developing countries. People with a compromised immune system, e.g. people affected by HIV, diabetes or malnutrition, have a 20 to 30% higher chance of developing the disease. Increased resistance against current medication is a huge problem in the fight against TB.
ITM has been conducting a wide variety of tuberculosis-related trials. These include, among others, determining whether a disposable tube device can increase the testability and bacteriologic yield among those at risk for underdiagnosis, assessing the accuracy and cost-effectiveness of computer aided detection of tuberculosis on chest radiographs, and comparing the safety and efficacy of new treatment regimens against drug-resistant tuberculosis.
Units
Labs
WHO TB Supranational Reference Laboratory - Coordinating Center
BCCM/ITM Mycobacteria Collection
Administrator of the world’s largest collection of TB strains
In 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) gave ITM the responsibility of watching over the largest collection of tuberculosis bacteria in the world.Research themes
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Bacteria have found various ways to develop resistance (AMR), of which resistance to antibiotics is a problem reaching across many different domains. -
Tireless effort is crucial to eliminate human African trypanosomiasis, also known as sleeping sickness, in the world. For more than a century, ITM has been playing its part.
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Arboviruses such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika are urgent public health threats in tropical and subtropical areas.
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By combining efforts on biological, human and societal aspects of the disease, ITM hopes to control and ultimately eliminate malaria in the long term.
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Neglected (tropical) diseases are high on the agenda. For many years, ITM has been actively involved in research on NTDs, in particular on leishmaniasis, leprosy and sleeping sickness.
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Before vaccines or drugs can be used in the general population, their safety and effectiveness are thoroughly investigated in clinical trials.
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The research of ITM on the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and AIDS is of inestimable value.
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For more than 10 years, ITM has been actively monitoring exotic mosquitoes in Belgium.
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ITM is closely monitoring the development of the mpox disease, both in Belgium and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
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We help improve sexual and reproductive health in the world by combining scientific research, advanced education, policy support and capacity-strengthening initiatives.
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EcoHealth is an interdepartmental group that unites researchers from different backgrounds and disciplines. We all recognise the need for comprehensive, systemic approaches to address current health challenges that emerge at the interface between humans, animals and their broader natural, social and political environments.
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Since the beginning, ITM has been providing medical services to people returning ill from overseas. As such, ITM accumulated profound knowledge of tropical diseases, as well as STIs and HIV.
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The right to health implies that everybody, everywhere should have access to the needed essential health products, included but not limited to diagnostics, vaccines and medicines.
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Clinical, epidemiological and diagnostics studies, secondary analyses of health data and BioSamples, behavioural studies or any other studies that involve the participation of human individuals, should yield social value and be scientifically justified and ethically sound.
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In a highly interconnected world, ITM continues to innovate and develop its outbreak research capacity.
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ITM has decades of experience fighting infectious diseases and curbing epidemics. We are fully committed to helping stop the COVID-19 pandemic that is threatening the world. To this end, we work together with partners at home and abroad.
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Ebola is a deadly disease that was co-discovered in 1976 by researchers of the institute. ITM has been closely monitoring subsequent outbreaks on the African continent, as well as contributing to new developments in diagnostics and treatment.
