Kate LeGrand

New paper from @plosglobalpublichealth.org: which TB screening strategies are the best value as funding shrinks? Modelling clinic/community approaches in 🇿🇦, we found combining strategies reaching risk groups is more cost-effective than any one approach alone doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0006738

⚕️ New research with @lshtm-tbmod.bsky.social shows how the most effective public health interventions against #TB would be population-wide ones, like mass vaccination programmes and screenings Read the @lshtm.bsky.social story 🔽 www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/cen...

New publication led by Mphatso Phiri: Drivers of sex differences in Mycobacterium tuberculosis immunoreactivity among adolescents and adults in Blantyre, Malawi link.springer.com/article/10.1... @uofgshw.bsky.social @lightontb.bsky.social @kchorton.bsky.social #TB #Episky 🛟🧪

New preprint suggests that reported symptoms are not a reliable indicator of TB disease severity, and that the context in which someone is investigated for TB—self-presentation to a clinic vs active community screening—may be more informative 👇 medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.07.10.26357755v1

Our new paper in @nathealth.nature.com shows that population-level #TB interventions are likely to have more meaningful impact on disease burden than interventions that only reach routinely diagnosed individuals or their households. www.nature.com/articles/s44... 1/7

New preprint suggests that combining clinic and community-based approaches is key to maximising the cost-effectiveness of #tuberculosis active case finding in South Africa 🇿🇦 Read more 👉 www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...

Poverty is a major driver of TB.Conditional cash transfers combined with counselling improve pre-treatment loss to follow-up.In this economic analysis our modelling projections show that this intervention is cost-effective and can reduce incidence and mortality. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

New publication now out in @lancetgh.bsky.social! New #TB #vaccines are being trialled in older adolescents and adults, and we comment on the advantages and challenges of including younger adolescents who have historically been excluded. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

It's been 10 years since we published our first review of sex differences in #TB prevalence. In this update, we found men remain twice as likely as women to have TB, and disparities have likely widened over time. journals.plos.org/plosmedicine...

So...what would happen to the global TB epidemic if we "eliminated" undernutrition? Our paper out now @lancetgh.bsky.social, where we combined estimates from our review (doi.org/10.1093/ije/...) with population-specific BMI distributions to find out...(www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...)

We found that #TB epidemics are becoming increasingly urbanised. Important implications for supporting effective public health interventions to end tuberculosis epidemics. 🧪 #MedSky @uofgshw.bsky.social @kchorton.bsky.social @nswartwood.bsky.social journals.plos.org/plosmedicine...

Great to see this work led by @alexandra-richards.bsky.social with @lightontb.bsky.social in @commsmed.nature.com. Further evidence that addressing gender disparities in TB burden and care are necessary for both an equitable response *and* an effective response. ⬇️

In our latest paper in @plosmedicine.org, we explore trade-offs in diagnostic algorithm, coverage, and duration of community screening for #TB, highlighting the importance of symptom-agnostic approaches and the need for strategies to sustain impact when screening ends. plos.io/4tuD2SM

A year after my last day with @lshtm-tbmod.bsky.social my work on modelling the impact of increasing men's access to care and reducing excess risk of TB has gone live @commsmed.nature.com www.nature.com/articles/s43...

Our analysis of #TB exposure and transmission patterns is now in @pnas.org. @petedodd24.bsky.social and I found a majority of TB transmission globally is attributable to contact with adult men, while contributions to transmission by age are more variable across regions. www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

🗞️ Recent study with @lshtm-tbmod.bsky.social modelled the potential impact of funding cuts to TB #PublicHealth initiatives from international donors Already implemented USAID cuts could cost $7.5 billion (USD) for healthcare systems & people living with TB Read 🔽 www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/cen...

With Nick Menzies and @lshtm-tbmod.bsky.social, our new modeling study estimated how reductions in donor funding could affect the economic burden of #TB on patients, especially among the poorest households journals.plos.org/plosmedicine...

In this modeling study, Allison Portnoy and colleagues investigate the potential impact of reduced international donor funding on the household economic burden of tuberculosis in low- and middle-income countries 🧪 #MedSky #TB plos.io/4ryyBFX

Our recent modelling study found that the estimated impact of new TB vaccines depends on the efficacy to prevent infectious asymptomatic TB. Read more in our paper out now in @plosmedicine.org! journals.plos.org/plosmedicine...

We know conflict & crises have severe repercussions for TB; health system disruptions, displacement, food insecurity... In our latest paper we examine the effects of war in Ukraine on engagement with a digital adherence tech by people w TB & health care workers journals.theunion.org/content/ijtl...

1/📢 In our new publication, we estimate that in 2022, 134 million people worldwide had a recent Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection and were at high risk of progressing to TB disease. Read the full paper in PLOS Medicine (tinyurl.com/mtbinfection). #TBSky

In this mathematical modeling study, Alvaro Schwalb and colleagues estimate the global burden of viable Mycobacterium tuberculosis—that which can cause disease and be transmitted—to help guide disease prevention efforts 🧪 #tuberculosis #MedSky plos.io/4aqzIQV

Our new paper on strategies for implementing a potential new #TB #vaccine in South Africa is now published in @plosglobalpublichealth.org! doi.org/10.1371/jour...

The TBMAC intro course is always a highlight of #UnionConf, and I loved being a tutor this year! We equipped a new audience with a clear understanding of how TB models are set up and what they can do to drive policy #EndTB #WCLH2025 #GlobalHealth

Interested in #TB, equity, and modelling? @reinhouben.bsky.social and I are advertising an MRC LID studentship on heterogeneity in the coverage of community screening for TB @lshtm-tbmod.bsky.social @lshtm.bsky.social. For more details, visit mrc-lid.lshtm.ac.uk/2026-27-proj...

What’s a #UnionConf without the TB modelling course? Packed room again for a long day of intro to modelling. @lshtm-tbmod.bsky.social @tb-mac.bsky.social #WCLH2025 #TBSky

@lshtm-tbmod.bsky.social is offering multiple PhD opportunities through MRC LID, deadline 14 Jan. More details: mrc-lid.lshtm.ac.uk/applicants/ Projects include #1 TB & screening #2 TB & climate change #3 TB & vaccines #4 TB & influenza #5 TB & prevention @cmmid-lshtm.bsky.social @lshtm.bsky.social

Perhaps the most important collaboration at #UnionConf2025? WHO STOP TB’s Hello Kitty met the LSHTM TB Modelling Group’s bunny mascot “Bugs” today 🐰 Shout out to @stoptb.bsky.social and @lshtm-tbmod.bsky.social for making TB epidemiology both rigorous and accessible. #EndTB #WCLH2025

The keynote of #UnionConf2025 reminded us why we’re all here. Author @johngreensbluesky.bsky.social & TB survivor Henry Rider delivered an impassioned call to action, centering lived experiences and fairness as drivers of new research. This week is about science AND solidarity #EndTB #WCLH2025

Come join the @lshtm-tbmod.bsky.social for a PhD!

Our framework that informed the @who.int TB & climate change policy brief out now in @lancetrespirmed.bsky.social, exploring the intersections and implications of climate change for the TB epidemic. Key message? TB should be considered a climate-sensitive disease www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

“Wow, I saw in the last GTB report undernutrition is much less important for TB than we previously thought” I hear you say… Well, no. We think this is an underestimate, & as much as 28% of TB could be attributable to undernutrition – see our latest comment here: www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

When fluoroquinolone resistance status is unknown, empirical use of BPaLM (adding moxifloxacin to BPaL) is cost-effective as a replacement for BPaL even with high fluoroquinolone resistance levels! 🦠💊 doi.org/10.1371/jour...

Nutritional status is a key determinant of TB. In this updated systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis (43 cohorts inc > 26 million people) we redefined the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and TB. doi.org/10.1093/ije/...

At a time when global resources for #TB research, development, prevention, and care are limited, which interventions should be prioritised in high burden settings? 📢 Our new pre-print compares the impact, cost, and cost-effectiveness of 9 TB interventions in 3 countries. 1/n bit.ly/3V3vXth

📯 New research from @kchorton.bsky.social and colleagues from @lshtm-tbmod.bsky.social! #TB incidence can rebound after community screening ends, meaning the gains made during a program can be erased in the years that follow. This highlights a major challenge in sustaining impact #EndTB #EpiSky

Scientists’ role in defending democracy www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Our work estimating the potential impacts of reductions in international donor funding for #TB is now out in @lancetgh.bsky.social: bit.ly/3TDl28T @raclark18.bsky.social @cfmcquaid.bsky.social @alexandra-richards.bsky.social @top-j.bsky.social @reinhouben.bsky.social @richardwhite321.bsky.social

Our new study examines social contact patterns in urban, peri-urban, and rural communities and their implications for #TB interventions like household contact tracing, infection prevention, and cluster RCTs. #MedSky #EpiSky #IDsky #TBSky Read more in @plosglobalpublichealth.org

Great op-ed @usatoday.com from longtime TB Fighter Quinn Yates: www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...

New systematic review led by @hannahrickman.bsky.social shows annual risk of Mycobacterium #tuberculosis conversion in men and women diverges during adolescence and remains higher among men throughout adulthood. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

In our latest personal view in @lancetrespirmed.bsky.social, we argue for the inclusion asymptomatic #tuberculosis in vaccine trial endpoints to potentially reduce the size, length, and cost of trials. doi.org/10.1016/S221... @lshtm-tbmod.bsky.social @tb-lshtm.bsky.social

Tuberculosis still kills around 1.3 million people every year. It was once a massive killer in Europe and the US, but not anymore. How did these countries manage to tackle it? Our first article on TB in a three-part series: ourworldindata.org/tuberculosis...

TB & climate change: @who.int report out now, building on an analytical framework we developed to explore the intersections and implications for the TB epidemic. Key message? TB should be considered a climate-sensitive disease www.who.int/publications...

Can you believe it’s already been 25 years!? Come join us on 20 June 2025 at 4pm UK time to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Introduction to #Infectious Disease #Modelling course delivered by @lshtm.bsky.social and @ukhsa.bsky.social! More info 👉 www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/e...

The chest x-ray use pioneered by Alan Hart continues to be extremely important in screening for tuberculosis. Although no one accomplishes anything in isolation, I'd argue that Hart has helped saved MILLIONS of lives because chest x-rays have been so essential in driving down rates of TB globally.

Amid all the bad news in Global Health, perhaps some good news? A first analysis on the risk of false positive diagnoses in community-screening for tuberculosis using Xpert shows our clinic-based data is likely (very) wrong and overestimates false positives by >80%: tinyurl.com/yfecute9.

Come work with us at @lshtm-tbmod.bsky.social! 🏁Application closes Friday

New preprint out from @raclark18.bsky.social, @kchorton.bsky.social, and colleagues from @lshtm-tbmod.bsky.social. The sudden withdrawal of international aid risks reversing years of hard-won gains. Beyond USAID, potential funding cuts via The Global Fund could add nearly 1M #TB deaths #EpiSky

Modelling projects the devastating impacts of US funding cuts, including our estimates of #TB incidence and deaths @lshtm-tbmod.bsky.social @tb-lshtm.bsky.social