Air pollution and TB spread in an urban Ugandan slum
Air Pollution Effects on Transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Urban Slum Community in Uganda
This project looks at whether breathing polluted air makes people with TB more likely to spread the bacteria and makes their household members more likely to become infected.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11379217 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, the team will measure tiny air pollution particles (PM2.5) inside and outside homes in the Namuwongo slum of Kampala. They will collect respiratory samples from people diagnosed with pulmonary TB to measure how much Mycobacterium tuberculosis they release when they cough. Household members will be followed and tested over time for new TB infection and for immune responses that might be weakened by pollution. The study combines air monitoring, cough and aerosol sampling, and blood or other tests to link pollution exposure with infectiousness and susceptibility.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adults with active pulmonary TB and their household contacts who live in the Namuwongo urban slum in Kampala, Uganda.
Not a fit: People who do not live in high-pollution urban settings or who do not have TB or close contact with a TB patient are unlikely to get direct benefit from joining.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help reduce TB spread by showing whether air pollution control or targeted interventions can lower transmission risk.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have shown air pollution can weaken TB-specific immune responses, but directly linking PM2.5 to increased TB transmission in households is largely untested.
Where this research is happening
Newark, UNITED STATES
- Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences — Newark, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schwander, Stephan K — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Schwander, Stephan K
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.