Host susceptibility to M. tuberclosis recurrence in HIV-infected people

Tuberculosis is one of the leading causes of death among people with HIV worldwide. In Haiti, the risk of recurrent TB is well-documented among people with HIV. HIV-infected adults who develop tuberculosis once are more susceptible to develop TB a second time, even after successful treatment of their HIV with antiretroviral drugs. 

Dr. Kathryn Dupnik's NIH K23 grant will focus on HIV-infected people with recurrent TB to identify the immune changes that may predict who is most susceptible to TB.  This research is an extension of Dr. Dupnik's prior work on human immune response to mycobacterial infection, and will be conducted in collaboration with GHESKIO Centers, in Port au Prince, Haiti.