OVERVIEW
The Centre for Tuberculosis (CTB) was established in 2012. It was formerly known as the National TB Reference laboratory which was incorporated into the CTB with broader functions. In line with the mandate of the NICD, the CTB conducts laboratory-based public health surveillance of TB in South Africa. It continues to serve as a National TB reference laboratory (NTBRL) and was endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a supranational reference laboratory in 2016.
Global TB policies and guidelines are initiated through WHO and their formulation has included representation from the CTB which assisted in developing these strategic documents.
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of CTB are:
- To conduct laboratory-based public health surveillance for drug sensitive TB, drug resistant TB and new drugs for the treatment of TB;
- To provide specialized reference mycobacteriological services to South Africa and the African continent;
- Apply innovative techniques such as next generation tools to improve the diagnosis and treatment of TB and drug resistant TB;
- To initiate applied public health research aimed at providing enhanced intelligence on the drivers and protective factors that underlie the TB epidemic in South Africa; and
- To advise and work closely with the Department of Health on strategic planning of the national TB program and formulate guidelines and policies for the diagnosis and treatment of TB in South Africa.
FUNCTIONS
The first-ever South African National TB Prevalence survey was a collaboration between the MRC, HSRC, NICD and NDoH. The survey aimed to establish the true burden of pulmonary TB disease in South Africa and was conducted according to the international recommendations of the WHO Global Task Force on TB Impact Measurement. The Centre for TB (NICD) was tasked with providing the laboratory services for the survey. Cases of presumptive TB were detected through an initial screening for TB symptoms and chest X-ray (CXR) of all eligible individuals, and a subsequent bacteriological examination of two sputum samples per individual. All sputum samples were processed for Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra and liquid TB culture. This was one of the first TB prevalence surveys to use the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra for TB case detection. Findings from the survey were used to develop an algorithm for the management of patients with Xpert ‘Trace’ result. See section ‘’Advancing Diagnostics, Epidemiology and Treatment’’ for the algorithm.
TB Prevalence survey report (Feb 2021)
The CTB conducts and supports other countries to undertake population based survey and research to enhance our understanding of the disease burden and factors impacting on efforts aimed at controlling and eliminating TB and DR-TB. These are aimed at informing policy and practice.
Public Health Surveillance plays a critical role in informing and directing health responses and is a key activity of the CTB. Time series analysis is an important tool applied to monitor success or failure. Additional geospatial analysis is applied to define the epidemic and guide responses.
Microbiologically confirmed tuberculosis 2004-15 South Africa
The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in South Africa is especially high. Critical to the control and management of TB is universal testing of all individuals with indicator symptoms. This approach has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, primarily because of lockdown restrictions. Data and modelled projections described in this report show how the implementation of Level 5 restrictions resulted in a sudden and dramatic decrease in laboratory investigations for TB across all of South Africa’s provinces.
To read the report, please click on the below link
SPECIAL PUBLIC HEALTH SURVEILLANCE BULLETIN (ISSUE 4: 16 Sept 2020)
The centre serves not only as the NTBRL for South Africa, but also as the supranational reference laboratory in Africa. The services provided address complex clinical cases as well as programmatic support and quality assurance to laboratories locally and globally.
Treatment of drug resistant TB has evolved over the last couple of years with new and re-purposed drugs being included in the treatment regimens. The CTB performs drug susceptibility testing for the following new drugs: Bedaquiline, Clofazimine, Linezolid and Delamanid and monitors resistance to these agents. Early detection ensures that correct treatment is instituted earlier aiding in the control of drug resistant TB.
Innovations are the key to success and the CTB has prioritised this aspect. This advancement is aimed at developing and evaluating novel approaches to improving diagnostic and treatment landscape for TB and DR-TB. The use of next generation technologies has expanded the horizon in addressing challenges with TB control and has been well established at the centre. Understanding transmission and latency are the other core themes being pursued at the CTB.
Xpert mtb rif ultra_guidance on clinical management of trace_19 december 2019
Standardisation of phenotypic drug susceptibility testing across nhls tb culture laboratories
LEADERSHIP AND TEAM
Dr Shaheed Vally Omar is a Medical Scientist with specialisation in Microbiology. He obtained an MSc in Medical Microbiology from the University of Limpopo and a PhD from the University of Pretoria. He currently leads the research programme at the Centre for Tuberculosis. He is a Joint Lecturer at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand and Extra-ordinary Lecturer at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria.
He has been instrumental in the establishment and implementation of molecular-based applications at the Centre, which shaped capacity to perform molecular typing and Next-Generation Sequencing. His current research focus includes; evaluation of new technologies for detection and drug resistance prediction of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, establishment of breakpoints and critical concentrations for diagnostic laboratory phenotypic drug susceptibility testing of new and repurposed TB drugs, drug-resistance surveillance and latent tuberculosis. Findings from the research programme have been used to guide both local and international policy.
He serves on the Expert Panel and Technical Expert Group advising in his area of expertise for the Foundation for New Innovative Diagnostics and the World Health Organization.
Administrator
Ria de Villiers
Tel: +27 11 885 5309/5317
Email: riad@nicd.ac.za
Pathologist: NTBRL/SRLN
Farzana Ismail
Email: farzanai@nicd.ac.za
Laboratory Manager: NTBRL/SRLN
Cecilia de Abreu
Email: ceciliad@nicd.ac.za
Scientific Lead
Shaheed Vally Omar
Email:shaheedvo@nicd.ac.za
Scientist: Molecular Epidemiology
Halima Said
Email: halimas@nicd.ac.za
Scientist: Whole Genome Sequencing
Lavania Joseph
Email: lavaniaj@nicd.ac.za
Senior Medical Epidemiologist: Publlic Health Surveillance and Geospatial Modelling
Harry Moultrie
Email: harrym@nicd.ac.za
Epidemiologist: Survey and Population Research
Judith Mwansa-Kambafwile
Email: judithm@nicd.ac.za