"This disease can be controlled," said Antonino Catanzaro, M.D., Professor of Medicine, and Principal Investigator for the TCCC. "The development of a tuberculosis curriculum for education and working with Public Health can greatly help to control TB nationally; then we can look globally. The TCCC will have a worldwide effect on tuberculosis through higher awareness."

The TCCC will coordinate the activities of a multidisciplinary team of faculty members who are physicians, nurses, and health care leaders from allied health schools to develop and implement curriculum, using state-of-the-art technology for education. The TCCC will also work with a network of professional organizations to impact TB education throughout the United States.

The Consortium will consist of the TCCC (headquartered at UCSD Medical Center, Hillcrest), five curriculum centers, and 23 partner schools. The Consortium includes faculty members representing 12 medical schools, six nursing schools, and 11 allied health schools.

The five coordinating centers nationally are: University of Southern California; Wayne State University; University of Texas Health Sciences Center; University of Arkansas, and Columbia University.

The 23 Partner Schools were selected because of either a very high or very low incidence of tuberculosis cases, as well as strong collegial involvement with Public Health Departments.

"San Diego saw a resurgence of TB cases 20 years ago followed by a decrease in new cases, but now we are seeing a post-resurgence period in San Diego as well as the U.S," said Dr. Catanzaro.

Global statistics show every second someone is infected with TB; every day 25,000
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Contact: Eileen Callahan
ecallahan@ucsd.edu
619-543-6163
University of California - San Diego
7-Jan-2004