Tuberculosis is listed as one of the top 10 diseases the world is fighting currently. In 2018, there were more than 1.5 million recorded deaths due to tuberculosis. These cases had many HIV positive cases. Tuberculosis. With so many cases recorded and scientists still finding a cure, tuberculosis eradication is also a part of the global sustainable development goals.

A recent study has discovered that Aspirin can prevent tuberculosis infection. TB bacteria attacks the human immune system making it weak. But, a good immune system can prevent and sustain this infection. Scientists from the Centenary Institute in Sydney have studied that the tuberculosis bacteria attacks the blood clotting system in the human body. They hijack the platelets and weaken the immune system. Zebrafish immune system is strikingly similar to that of the human and studying the mycobacterial pathogenesis in the same is making understanding the human immune system better. Using the zebrafish model, scientists have come to a conclusion that Aspirin can strengthen the immune system and eventually help fight tuberculosis infection. The team of scientists from Centenary Institute in Sydney made use of fluorescent microscopy to understand how platelets around an infected area get activated and build up knots. Aspirin is an anti-platelet drug that can help the immune system control the tuberculosis infection better.

Australia was a country with one of the lowest cases of tuberculosis so far but, in 2018 it recorded more than 1400 new cases thus urging scientists and doctors to advance their research for new drugs and treatment for tuberculosis. Few of these cases were that of multi drug resistant tuberculosis. As aspirin is abundantly available and its composition can literally make the necessary improvements in human immune system, there are fair chances of more research done in this area with workable solutions for tuberculosis treatment.