# Aerobiology, immunology, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis transmission

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 2022 · $733,901

## Abstract

Although preventing infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is paramount for controlling the
tuberculosis (TB) epidemic, transmission in endemic settings is poorly understood. Across communities in high
burden settings, there is variability in TB prevalence in the form of spatial clusters or “environmental hotspots”.
Heterogeneity is also present in the infectiousness of patients with TB, leading to the concept of “individual
superspreaders,” who are responsible for the majority of Mtb transmission events. The overall objective of this
project is to develop novel interventions to interrupt Mtb transmission by discovering the primary drivers at the
individual and community levels through evaluations of hotspots and superspreaders. We previously
developed a novel Mtb cough aerosol sampling system (CASS) and a digital cough signature assessment
platform and discovered immunogenetic factors associated with resistance and susceptibility to Mtb infection
and TB disease. In 2015, the Kenya National TB Program, conducted a nationwide population-based TB
survey, that found a high burden of TB with wide variation between surveyed communities. We now propose
to investigate TB prevalence within 10 previously surveyed Nairobi neighborhoods (with varying TB burdens),
develop novel tools for identifying superspreaders including aerobiology and immunogenetic profiling, and
investigate biomarkers of recent transmission among household contacts (HHCs). We hypothesize that highly
infectious individuals have unique digital cough and immunologic signatures, and that their HHCs have a
higher frequency of persistently positive interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs), specific transcriptional
profiles, and higher rate of progression to TB disease. We hypothesize that neighborhoods with stably high TB
prevalence rates are associated with demographics skewed to young men, high in-migration, decreased
healthcare access, and poorly ventilated community spaces. By using innovative methods, we will gain insights
into temporal trends of TB prevalence in small areas, identify factors associated with high prevalence, and
develop tools to identify individuals responsible for a disproportionate amount of TB transmission. Knowledge
from this study will enable targeting of resources to improve TB control.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10427333
- **Project number:** 5R01AI150815-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **Principal Investigator:** Thomas R Hawn
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $733,901
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-07-10 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10427333

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10427333, Aerobiology, immunology, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis transmission (5R01AI150815-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10427333. Licensed CC0.

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