The words 'defaulter', 'suspect' and 'control' have been part of the language of tuberculosis (TB) services for many decades. The detrimental effect of such negative language is detailed by TB experts from around the world in the June International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IJTLD).

A new clinical TB-HIV course, offered by The Union for the first time in Colombia last month, led participants to the conclusion that the roles and duties of physicians working in each specialty need to be revised to strengthen their collaborative and comprehensive management of patients with these two conditions.  

A US National Institutes of Health workshop on pediatric TB diagnostics research in 2011 led to recent consensus papers in the Journal of Infectious Diseases suggesting clinical case definitions for intrathoracic TB in children and addressing methodological issues when including children in diagnostics research. Dr Steve Graham, consultant for The Union, was lead author of the first paper.

A team from PICTS (Program to Increase Catchment of TB Suspects), the Township Health Center and volunteers recently visited a slum on the banks of Myanmar’s Irrawaddy River to educate the residents about TB.

Tobacco control leaders from Turkey, South Africa and India who have worked closely with The Union as Bloomberg Initiative grantees received awards for their achievements at last month's 15th World Conference on Tobacco or Health (WCTOH) in Singapore.