New way to kill tuberculosis

Scientists find new way to kill tuberculosis. Our scientists have found a new way to kill the bacteria that cause tuberculosis (TB). TB is the world's deadliest infectious disease and causes nearly 1.5 million deaths each year. Whilst most cases can be cured with proper treatment, the number of antibiotic-resistant infections are steadily increasing. An international team of researchers co-led by Durham scientists has discovered that a toxin produced by the germ itself can be used to poison it. The toxin blocks the use of important amino acids required by the bacteria to produce essential proteins they need to survive. New anti-TB drugs The researchers aim to exploit the toxin to develop new anti-TB drugs.