Editorial Note: The headline of this story has been updated. The previous headline incorrectly said UCT rather than UWC.
A research group at the University of the Western Cape is developing a new way of treating Tuberculosis using nanoparticles.
Lead researcher, Professor Admire Dube, says they will be applying nanoparticles to send immunotherapy and targeted drugs to the lungs to treat TB.
In science, nanoparticles are used for the targeted delivery of drugs to the body as they can precisely find diseased cells and carry the medicine to them.
Dube says during their research they deliver compounds that can activate the cells that contain TB.
This has resulted in the TB bacteria dying.
South Africa recently mard World Tuberculosis Day under the theme “Yes! You and I can End TB“.
Despite significant progress over the last decades, TB continues to be the leading cause of death in South Africa, claiming 56 000 per annum, more than half of which are people living with HIV (53%).
It is also the most infectious killer worldwide, claiming over 1.5 million per year.
In the video below National Aids Council CEO, Dr Thembisile Xulu, elaborates:
