Despite being preventable and curable, tuberculosis remains a major global health threat, infecting over 10 million people and claiming more than 1 million lives every year. In this episode of Communicable, hosts Angela Huttner and Navaneeth Narayanan discuss tuberculosis with experts Lorenzo Guglielmetti of Doctors without Borders and Olha Konstantynovska of Kharkiv National University, Ukraine. Key topics include the history, transmission, and pathophysiology of tuberculosis, as well as current diagnostic challenges and treatments for drug-resistant strains. The conversation highlights Lorenzo's work on the endTB project and Olha's experiences managing tuberculosis during the war in Ukraine. Despite advancements in treatment, the episode underscores the urgent need for political will and funding to combat this global health threat.

This episode was edited by Kathryn Hostettler and peer reviewed by Dr. Maria Ana de Quadros Flores e Santos of Unidade Local de Saude Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal.

Abbreviations and terminology used in this episode:

• MSF: Médecins sans Frontières, or Doctors without Borders (msf.org)
• FIND: Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (www.finddx.org)
• ‘Intoxication symptoms’ are synonymous with ‘constitutional symptoms’ or ‘B symptoms’ of tuberculosis and include fever, night sweats, and unintentional weight loss. 

Literature:

• endTB Project
• Annual global tuberculosis report by WHO 2024 
• Dorman SE, et al. Four-Month Rifapentine Regimens with or without Moxifloxacin for Tuberculosis. N Engl J Med 2021 doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2033400
• Guglielmetti L, et al. Oral Regimens for Rifampin-Resistant, Fluoroquinolone-Susceptible Tuberculosis. N Engl J Med 2025 doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2400327