World TB Day is March 24, 2008

World TB is March 24, 2008. The American Thoracic Society, originally named the American Sanitorium Association, continues its long history of fighting against the spread of TB as a member of Stop TB USA and the global Stop TB Partnership. As World TB Day is upon us, two bills in Congress await action that could stop or slow the spread of TB: The international Stop TB Now Act (S.968/H.R.1567), and the domestic Comprehensive TB Elimination Act (S.1551).

Exciting new research on TB control also continue to unfold: In the April 1 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, published by the American Thoracic Society, a molecular assay shows promising results for quick diagnosis of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, which threatens not only individuals’ health, but the social and economic stability of the developing countries that are hardest hit with the dual HIV and TB epidemics. Another article in the same issue of the journal looks at a diagnostic tool to differentiate TB infections from the symptomatically similar but clinically distinct Mycobacterium Avian complex infection.

The ATS members listed below are world-renowned experts in tuberculosis, and are available to speak to the press for any World TB Day-related stories.

Philip C. Hopewell, M.D.
Associate Dean
University of California San Francisco
Past President, American Thoracic Society
Expertise: The development of international standards for TB treatment and control and obstacles to their implementation
Work: 415-206-3510
phopewell@medsfgh.ucsf.edu

Richard E. Chaisson, M.D.
Director
Johns Hopkins Center for Tuberculosis Research
Expertise: TB control, TB/HIV and treatment
Phone: 410-955-1755
rchaiss@jhmi.edu

Michael Lauzardo, M.D.
Principal Investigator
Southeastern National Tuberculosis Center
University of Florida
Expertise: TB among the foreign-born; general clinical aspects of TB care
Office: 352-265-7682
Cell phone: 352-317-5162
Lauzam@medicine.ufl.edu

Lee B. Reichman, M.D., M.P.H.
Professor
UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School
Executive Director of NJMS Global Tuberculosis Institute
Expertise: Clinical treatment of TB, international TB problems, development of new diagnostic and treatment tools
Office: 973-972-3275
Cell phone: 201-519-5675
reichmlb@umdnj.edu