New study shows Early TB treatment reduced deaths from sepsis among people with HIV
Sepsis is a leading global cause of hospital deaths, occurring when the body’s response to infection damages tissue and causes organs to fail. Africa bears the world’s highest burden of sepsis, with an estimated 48 million cases each year leading to about 11 million deaths. People living with HIV face the greatest risk of dying from the condition.
A new study has found that tuberculosis, a chronic bacterial lung disease, is a major and long-overlooked cause of deadly sepsis among people living with HIV. An associated Phase 3 clinical trial called the ATLAS study found that starting tuberculosis (TB) treatment immediately, even before a TB diagnosis is confirmed, could significantly reduce sepsis deaths among HIV patients.