Why is TB still killing people?
About this episode
The episode explores the ongoing impact of tuberculosis despite the existence of a cure and vaccine.
Tuberculosis kills more than a million people every year. It’s the world’s leading cause of death from a single infectious agent. This is despite the fact that we've had a cure for TB since the 1940s and a vaccine that’s over 100 years old. So why is TB still causing so many people to die? That’s what CrowdScience listener John in Tanzania wants to know, and presenter Marnie Chesterton is on the case. Over in Paris, she’s joined by Dr Claas Kirchhelle, historian of science, medicine and technology at French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) to look into the history and efficacy of the vaccine, known as BCG. As Dr Maximiliano Gutierrez, Associate Research Director at the Francis Crick Institute adds, the BCG is both effective and ineffective, protecting children well against severe TB, but offering inconsistent and often poor protection in adults. He also explains that antibiotics are a trickier treatment than we might expect. Over in Kenya’s Kibera slums, Janet tells us her about her experience of the drugs first hand. Dr Dany Beste, Senior Lecturer In Microbial Metabolism, University of Surrey, has been described as a dietician of mycobacterium…
More episodes of CrowdScience
- Why do I love rollercoasters?
- How do electric fish make electricity?
- Why am I warm blooded?
- Why can't I concentrate?
- Will I get hit by a meteor?
- Is anything truly random?
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the CrowdScience podcast page.