Tuberculosis (TB) was among the several infectious diseases in addition to HIV that were important topics of discussion during the 2015 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI)Exit Disclaimer held in Seattle at the end of last month. As the conference came to a close, we visited with Dr. Peter Kim about TB, his area of research at NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

Dr. Kim explains that TB is a major concern in the field of HIV/AIDS because it is easily transmitted from person to person when they are in close contact and is the leading cause of death among people living with HIV (PLWH) worldwide. In fact, he points out, one quarter of all deaths among PLWH worldwide are attributable to TB. Although TB is less prevalent in the U.S. generally, it remains an important health concern among PLWH and their healthcare providers, particularly because HIV is an important risk factor for TB.

During our conversation, Dr. Kim discusses the emergence and spread of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR TB) and Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (XDR TB) and the challenges they pose both globally and in the United States.

Read more about NIAID’s TB research.