Global TB Summit Connects Diagnostic Testing With Prevention and Clinical Care

Tuberculosis remains a major global infectious disease challenge despite declining deaths. In 2024, an estimated 10.7 million people worldwide developed the disease and nearly 1.2 million died from it. This continuing burden underscores the need to sustain screening, prevention, and treatment as funding pressures strain tuberculosis programs.

QIAGEN N.V. is bringing together international tuberculosis experts for the Global TB Clinical and Educational Summit from October 13–16. The program focuses on prevention, screening, drug-resistant and childhood tuberculosis, vulnerable populations, and access to care. The summit also highlights QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus), a blood-based interferon-gamma release assay used to detect tuberculosis infection and tuberculosis disease.

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QFT-Plus is used as an aid to identify people who may benefit from preventive treatment, particularly those at increased risk of developing tuberculosis disease. The test also supports clinical evaluation in suspected tuberculosis disease. More than 160 million QuantiFERON-TB tests have been sold worldwide since launch, with customers in more than 130 countries and more than 2,700 peer-reviewed publications involving QuantiFERON.

The 2026 Global TB Summit is being held online from October 13–15 and both online and on-site at the Royal College of Physicians in London on October 16. Sessions will examine the role of interferon-gamma release assays in screening people at increased risk of developing tuberculosis disease. These groups include patients receiving kidney dialysis or biologic therapy, immunocompromised patients, and older adults.

“The world has made progress against tuberculosis, but that progress cannot be taken for granted. Millions of people still develop TB every year, and pressure on funding and public health systems could slow further advances. Bringing experts together, strengthening education and identifying people with TB infection are practical ways we can help sustain momentum toward better prevention and care,” said Dr. Christine Ginocchio, Chief Medical Officer at QIAGEN.