CIDRZ is partnering with the Ministry of Health to conduct the INTRO-TB-VAX study, an innovative research initiative to estimate the relative prevalence of Tuberculosis Infection (TBI) among various populations by testing adults and adolescents in everyday community settings.

Addressing key stakeholders at a recent high-level meeting, CIDRZ’s Chief Scientific Officer and Principal Investigator, Dr Monde Muyoyeta, explained that the INTRO-TB-VAX Study will be carried out in Lusaka and Copperbelt Provinces, targeting 1,400 participants in each site from high TB burden areas.

She said the study will focus on adolescents aged 15–17.9 and adults aged 18 and above, engaging people across key community venues such as churches, schools, markets, health facilities, bars, mines, bus stations, TB-affected households, and prisons. 

“study will explore community attitudes, beliefs, and preferences to better understand how the TB vaccine can be effectively introduced and accepted across diverse populations, “she said.

Dr Muyoyeta further alluded that the participants will be screened using interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) to estimate the prevalence of TB infection.