Science Cafe: Tuberculosis epidemiology

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The Swansea Science Cafe offers opportunities for anyone to find out more about new, exciting and topical areas of science in an informal and entertaining way.

Title: Tuberculosis epidemiology

Speaker: Dr Angharad Davies (Swansea University)

Date: Wednesday 30th April

Time: 7:30pm

Venue: The Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea

Admission: Free, all welcome

This talk will provide an overview of tuberculosis epidemiology in the UK and the principles of tuberculosis outbreak management, using a large recent outbreak of drug-resistant tuberculosis as a case study. This recent outbreak centred on North London, but cases were scattered throughout the UK, including in prisons.

The investigation of the outbreak revealed significant problems on an individual patient and population-based level, including difficulties with contact tracing, adherence to therapy, and the risk of developing multidrug resistance. The incident also demonstrated the value of molecular strain typing in investigating an extensive outbreak of tuberculosis.

Contact details: http://swansea.ac.uk/science/swanseasciencecafe/

About Science Cafe Wales

Each month, a leading expert in their field will give a brief introductory talk followed by a friendly informal chat. You can sit back, relax with a drink and listen or get involved in the discussion and debate. The Science Café organisers are committed to promoting public engagement with science and to making science accountable.

Science Café Wales are held in casual settings in Cardiff, Swansea and Bangor. They are informal and accessible and entrance is entirely free. They usually start with a short talk from the speaker, usually a scientist or writer, followed by a quick break and then an hour or so of discussion afterwards.

Previous topics have included dark matter, the common cold, Dr Who, the Big Bang and alternative therapies.

The first Cafes Scientifiques in the UK were held in Leeds in 1998. From there cafés gradually spread across the country.

Currently, some 40 or so cafés meet regularly to hear scientists or writers on science talk about their work and discuss it with diverse audiences.