Image of acid-fast TB bacilli in sputum (showing characteristic beading) Courtesy of Dr. Michael Levy, Montefiore Medical Center |
Objectives of the Tuberculosis Academic
Award (TBAA) Grantees and Research Focus Projects by Geographic Location Roster of Investigators Resources Developed by Grantees CDC Core Curriculum on Tuberculosis (Link to CDC Web Site) |
In spite of major advances in understanding the pathogenesis of tuberculosis (TB), and in its detection and treatment, more than 25,000 cases a year were reported in the United States in the early 1990s. TB was spreading rapidly, especially in certain population groups, including Asians, African-Americans, Hispanics, and HIV-infected patients. Other groups at high risk for TB included persons living or working in group or institutional settings such as hospitals, homeless shelters, and correctional facilities.
Frequent outbreaks of multidrug resistant TB continue to occur. These outbreaks are a dramatic manifestation of serious underlying problems in public and private efforts to control the disease. In the US the number of cases has recently reached an all time low; it is essential that this encouraging trend continue.
In developing countries and those that were part of the former Soviet Union the number of TB cases and the number of drug resistant cases continues to rise. This poses a threat to public health worldwide.
The primary objective of the TBAA Program is to stimulate development of and/or improvement in the quality of medical curricula, physician/patient/community education, and clinical practice for the prevention, management, and control of TB in the United States.
The final award cycle began on July 1st 1997 and will end on June 30th 2002. Supplements for minority partnership were added on April 1st 1998 and will end on December 31st 2001. No further competitions are planned.