The jury particularly valued the study's methodological rigor, its scope across three Southern African countries (Eswatini, Mozambique, and Uganda), and its potential to improve tuberculosis diagnosis in people with HIV. The award ceremony will take place during the V Spain – South Africa Research Forum on November 12 in Cape Town, South Africa.
The study, published in The Lancet Microbe, was conducted as part of the Stool4TB consortium, funded by the European Union, involving 677 adults with HIV and suspected tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is the leading cause of death in people living with HIV, and its diagnosis is challenging due to difficulties in obtaining sputum samples.
The results show that the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra molecular test applied to stool samples can complement current tests, identifying cases not detected by other methods and performing better in patients with weakened immune systems, who are at higher risk of dying from the disease.
The Fernando Albericio Award, organized by the Association of Spanish Scientists in Southern Africa, annually recognizes the best scientific article published by one of its members, considering the study's relevance to the region, the journal's impact, innovation, and future applicability of the results.
