Tuberculosis, COVID-19 and other airborne pathogens

Airborne pathogens are germs suspended in tiny particles. These droplets spread between people when someone sneezes, coughs, or breathes out. Diseases caused by airborne pathogens include TB, COVID-19, the flu, colds, strep throat and measles.

How tuberculosis affects the body

Historically called ‘consumption’, TB is caused by the germ Mycobacterium tuberculosis and it can lead to serious illness and death. People with tuberculosis may experience cough, fever, weight loss and fatigue. Many people with tuberculosis have no symptoms at all but may still be infectious to others. This makes it harder to detect TB and stop the spread of disease.

Tuberculosis prevention, treatment and care

Since the 1940s, TB has been treated using antibiotics. Current medications include isoniazid and rifampicin. Patients need to take these medicines, as well as others, for several months. Stopping early or skipping doses can lead to relapse of TB.

About one in 10 people who get infected with the TB germ develop active TB. Others will simply carry the germ without getting sick. This is called latent TB or inactive TB infection. But it’s difficult to predict which people who get infected will go on to have active TB disease.

Preventive drug therapy can reduce the risk of active TB by around 60-90%.

Multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB)

Some people with TB are infected with strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis that are resistant to the standard drugs used to treat the disease. This is called multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). It became a problem in many countries from the 1990s and it’s a major threat in Papua New Guinea, with thousands of new drug-resistant TB cases each year.

How COVID-19 affects the body

COVID-19 is caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. From 2020, the virus began to spread worldwide, resulting in a deadly pandemic.

The virus attacks cells in your respiratory system. Typical symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, dry cough and fatigue. Many infections, particularly in children and young adults, are asymptomatic. In older people and people with a higher risk of severe disease, COVID-19 can lead to respiratory failure and death. It can also cause damage to the heart, brain and other parts of the body, as well as long COVID.

COVID-19 vaccines

First-generation COVID-19 vaccines have been rolled out across the globe. These vaccines have proven highly effective at preventing symptomatic and severe disease, but they aren't quite as effective against recently emerged Omicron strains and new variants. As new coronaviruses emerge, there’s an urgent need for us to develop a broadly protective coronavirus vaccine. You can also read more guidance about COVID-19 vaccines.

Stopping the spread of airborne pathogens

Detecting people with infectious disease is key. We can do this with contact-screening and rapid tests, to understand who might have been infected with TB or COVID-19. We can also stop the spread by ensuring clean indoor air.

Global challenges of airborne pathogens

In 2023, an estimated 10.8 million people worldwide fell sick with TB.  There are still thousands of COVID-19 infections reported worldwide each month. These infections can lead to severe illness and death, particularly for people who face barriers to care and people with pre-existing health conditions. 

We work with local communities to ensure our work reflects the needs of people who might be marginalised or neglected. Our approach to airborne pathogens combines prevention, detection, treatment and care.

Prevention with clean indoor air

We support preventive health through our work on clean indoor air. We believe clean indoor air, or indoor air quality, is the next big step for public health.

Prevention with vaccines and medicine

We help stop the spread of disease with medicines, including antibiotics and vaccines. In Papua New Guinea, we’re rolling out a new treatment for TB that’s taken orally (by mouth). Through the Burnet Vaccine Initiative, we are also developing a second-generation COVID-19 vaccine that could offer broad protection against a wider range of coronaviruses.

Detecting people with active disease

Our work includes screenings, diagnostics and testing. We support infrastructure that diagnoses people with active TB disease in our region. We’re also working on tools that can diagnose TB or COVID-19.

Treating diseases caused by airborne pathogens

We lead studies that evaluate the effectiveness of different treatments, including medications for drug-resistant tuberculosis and for antiviral treatments for COVID-19.

Care and support

Through education and advocacy, we aim to reduce the stigma around tuberculosis infection. We partner with people who have TB to address the social impact of disease, and support peer counselling initiatives.