COVID-19 has overwhelmed health-care systems and disrupted TB care all over the world. Peru in particular has struggled to secure sufficient personal protective equipment and continue medical services during the pandemic. "Public health systems in most countries have not made adequate adjustments to care for people with TB in the context of COVID... we're going to see the effects of this pandemic for generations." (Carole Mitnick, a professor of global health and social medicine at Harvard Medical School)

The successful treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis requires clarification in advance as to which antibiotics the pathogens are resistant to. Classic testing in the laboratory is very time-consuming and delays the start of therapy. Researchers from the Research Center Borstel, the Leibniz Lung Center, and the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) have now prepared a catalogue of all mutations in the genome of tuberculosis bacteria and on the basis of a genome sequencing can quickly and cheaply predict which medicines are most effective for tuberculosis treatment. The results of this work were published in the professional journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Treatment with rifampin shows it can increase the chances for recurrent Clostridium difficile (C diff) infection according to investigators in Mexico.

The new Global Plan will cover the period 2023 to 2030 and will specifically identify what resources are needed to end the TB epidemic globally.

The Stop TB Partnership launched the Challenge Facility for Civil Society Round 10.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Global TB Program has initiated a process to update the guidelines on diagnosis of TB infection. WHO is seeking expressions of interest from independent researchers, academic institutions or other entities with relevant expertise and experience in systematic reviews, data synthesis and analysis on the use of novel skin-based in vivo tests for TB infection.

The World Health Organization (WHO) will host a webinar on 5 May 2021 on the progress made in implementing WHO’s Multisectoral Accountability Framework to Accelerate Progress to End TB (MAF-TB).

Host-directed adjunctive therapies everolimus and CC-11050 are safe and reasonably well-tolerated in adults with pulmonary tuberculosis infection, according to results of a study published in the journal Lancet Respiratory Medicine. In addition, the 2 therapies may also improve lung function recovery.

Campaigns to battle tuberculosis, measles and polio have all been set back.

The Roadmap identifies priorities for the development and implementation of new TB vaccines with the aim to coordinate and accelerate global action.