Project: Applying genomics to tackle re-emergence of tuberculosis in Ireland
Challenge Space
Health resistance
Prinicipal Investigator(s) and team names
Dr Gaetan Thilliez, Mr Cian Ennis, Dr Ronan O’Toole
Collaborating Institutions
Funding support
Project start date
September 2024
End date
August 2028
Problem
Tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.
There were 10.6 million new cases of TB in 2022 according to the World Health Organisation with low and lower-middle income countries worst affected. Multi-drug resistant (MDR) cases accounted for 3.3% of new TB cases but 12.9% of TB mortalities globally in 2019 were due to a higher treatment failure rate.
Once a major disease in Ireland in the 1950s, it is now not only re-emerging, but some strains are resistant to current drug regimens. The scale of Multi-drug resistant TB in Ireland is not known.
Background
Mathematical modelling analysis has predicted that MDR-TB, as a proportion of incident TB, will increase in high MDR-TB burden countries.
As more than half of TB cases in Ireland now occur in persons born outside the state, it is likely we will see an increase in MDR-TB cases without additional preventive measures.
Solution
DCU Life Sciences Institute brings together expertise in genomic DNA sequence analysis to provide a clear picture of TB import and transmission in Ireland, while revealing trends in antibiotic resistance.
The data provides a basis for modelling future changes in TB epidemiology and how they will impact MDR-TB in Ireland and beyond.
Together they provide a better understanding of tuberculosis evolution and transmission, and will also inform interventions to minimise resistant cases of TB and to ensure that Ireland is better prepared for the continuing re-emergence of TB.