Barriers to engagement in the care cascade for tuberculosis disease in India: A systematic review of quantitative studies.

BACKGROUND: India accounts for about one-quarter of people contracting tuberculosis (TB) disease annually and nearly one-third of TB deaths globally. Many Indians do not navigate all care cascade stages to receive TB treatment and achieve recurrence-free survival. Guided by a population/exposure/comparison/outcomes (PECO) framework, we report findings of a systematic review to identify factors contributing to unfavorable outcomes across each care cascade gap for TB disease in India. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We defined care cascade gaps as comprising people with confirmed or presumptive TB who did not: start the TB diagnostic workup (Gap 1), complete the workup (Gap 2), start treatment (Gap 3), achieve treatment success (Gap 4), or achieve TB recurrence-free survival (Gap 5). Three systematic searches of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from January 1, 2000 to August 14, 2023 were conducted. We identified articles evaluating factors associated with unfavorable outcomes for each gap (reported as adjusted odds, relative risk, or hazard ratios) and, among people experiencing unfavorable outcomes, reasons for these outcomes (reported as proportions), with specific quality or risk of bias criteria for each gap. Findings were organized into person-, family-, and society-, or health system-related factors, using a social-ecological framework. Factors associated with unfavorable outcomes across multiple cascade stages included: male sex, older age, poverty-related factors, lower symptom severity or duration, undernutrition, alcohol use, smoking, and distrust of (or dissatisfaction with) health services. People previously treated for TB were more likely to seek care and engage in the diagnostic workup (Gaps 1 and 2) but more likely to suffer pretreatment loss to follow-up (Gap 3) and unfavorable treatment outcomes (Gap 4), especially those who were lost to follow-up during their prior treatment. For individual care cascade gaps, multiple studies highlighted lack of TB knowledge and structural barriers (e.g., transportation challenges) as contributing to lack of care-seeking for TB symptoms (Gap 1, 14 studies); lack of access to diagnostics (e.g., X-ray), non-identification of eligible people for testing, and failure of providers to communicate concern for TB as contributing to non-completion of the diagnostic workup (Gap 2, 17 studies); stigma, poor recording of patient contact information by providers, and early death from diagnostic delays as contributing to pretreatment loss to follow-up (Gap 3, 15 studies); and lack of TB knowledge, stigma, depression, and medication adverse effects as contributing to unfavorable treatment outcomes (Gap 4, 86 studies). Medication nonadherence contributed to unfavorable treatment outcomes (Gap 4) and TB recurrence (Gap 5, 14 studies). Limitations include lack of meta-analyses due to the heterogeneity of findings and limited generalizability to some Indian regions, given the country's diverse population. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review illuminates common patterns of risk that shape outcomes for Indians with TB, while highlighting knowledge gaps-particularly regarding TB care for children or in the private sector-to guide future research. Findings may inform targeting of support services to people with TB who have higher risk of poor outcomes and inform multicomponent interventions to close gaps in the care cascade.

Cash transfers to enhance completion of TB screening among household contacts in rural Tanzania.

Tanzanian TB guidelines recommend facility-based TB screening for symptomatic household contacts (HHCs) or those aged <5 years, but cost remains a major barrier. In this study, we evaluate the use of unconditional cash transfers (UCTs) to facilitate completion of HHC TB screening.In this prospective interventional study, we enrolled index people diagnosed with TB (PWTB) within 8 weeks of TB treatment initiation from the TB clinic at Haydom Lutheran Hospital, Haydom, Tanzania, and surrounding TB dispensaries in rural Tanzania. The study provided at the time of enrollment an UCT up to 40,000 Tanzanian shillings (USD16.91) directly to heads of households with PWTB, covered medical costs from screening activities and provided three bi-weekly phone reminders to facilitate HHC TB screening. The primary outcome was TB screening completion for all HHCs compared to the same period of the preceding year.We enrolled 120 index PWTB, including 398 HHCs between July and December 2022. The median age for index PWTB was 35 years; 38% were females. Sixty-five (54%) households completed screening for all HHCs, compared to 7% during the same period of the preceding year.These interventions may considerably improve completion of HHC TB screening in rural Tanzania..

Bacteriophage therapy for the treatment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections in humanized mice.

The continuing emergence of new strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has renewed interest in phage therapy; however, there has been limited progress in applying phage therapy to multi-drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infections. In this study, we show that bacteriophage strains D29 and DS6A can efficiently lyse Mtb H37Rv in 7H10 agar plates. However, only phage DS6A efficiently kills H37Rv in liquid culture and in Mtb-infected human primary macrophages. We further show in subsequent experiments that, after the humanized mice were infected with aerosolized H37Rv, then treated with DS6A intravenously, the DS6A treated mice showed increased body weight and improved pulmonary function relative to control mice. Furthermore, DS6A reduces Mtb load in mouse organs with greater efficacy in the spleen. These results demonstrate the feasibility of developing phage therapy as an effective therapeutic against Mtb infection.

The Applications of ELISpot in the Identification and Treatment of Various Forms of Tuberculosis and in the Cancer Immunotherapies.

ELISpot (enzyme-linked immunospot) is a powerful immunological tool for the detection of cytokine-secreting cells at a single-cell resolution. It is widely used for the diagnosis of various infectious diseases, e.g., tuberculosis and sarcoidosis, and it is also widely used in cancer immunotherapy research. Its ability to distinguish between active and latent forms of tuberculosis makes it an extremely powerful tool for epidemiological studies and contact tracing. In addition to that, it is a very useful tool for the research and development of cancer immunotherapies. ELISpot can be employed to assess the immune responses against various tumor-associated antigens, which could provide valuable insights for the development of effective therapies against cancers. Furthermore, it plays a crucial role to the evaluation of immune responses against specific antigens that not only could aid in vaccine development but also assist in treatment monitoring and development of therapeutic and diagnostic strategies. This chapter briefly describes some of the applications of ELISpot in tuberculosis and cancer research.

[Rigid bronchoscopy combined with flexible bronchoscopy for treatment of central airway stenosis caused by tuberculous tracheobronchial fistula: report of 2 cases].

Tuberculous tracheobronchial fistulas are caused by mediastinal or hilar tuberculous lymph nodes ulcerating into the trachea or bronchus. Patients usually require flexible bronchoscopic interventional procedures in addition to systemic anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy in the ulceration phase. In this paper, we reported 2 cases of central airway stenosis caused by tuberculous tracheobronchial fistula, which had poor treatment results after flexible bronchoscopy. According to the patients' condition, the airway lesions were treated by rigid bronchoscopy combined with flexible bronchoscopy, cryotherapy, argon plasma coagulation, and so on. The central airway stenosis was resolved quickly, and the caseating lymph node tissue was removed as much as possible under the premise of ensuring safety, which shortened the recovery time of tuberculous fistula.

Photothermal therapy of tuberculosis using targeting pre-activated macrophage membrane-coated nanoparticles.

Conventional antibiotics used for treating tuberculosis (TB) suffer from drug resistance and multiple complications. Here we propose a lesion-pathogen dual-targeting strategy for the management of TB by coating Mycobacterium-stimulated macrophage membranes onto polymeric cores encapsulated with an aggregation-induced emission photothermal agent that is excitable with a 1,064 nm laser. The coated nanoparticles carry specific receptors for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which enables them to target tuberculous granulomas and internal M. tuberculosis simultaneously. In a mouse model of TB, intravenously injected nanoparticles image individual granulomas in situ in the lungs via signal emission in the near-infrared region IIb, with an imaging resolution much higher than that of clinical computed tomography. With 1,064 nm laser irradiation from outside the thoracic cavity, the photothermal effect generated by these nanoparticles eradicates the targeted M. tuberculosis and alleviates pathological damage and excessive inflammation in the lungs, resulting in a better therapeutic efficacy compared with a combination of first-line antibiotics. This precise photothermal modality that uses dual-targeted imaging in the near-infrared region IIb demonstrates a theranostic strategy for TB management.

Antimicrobial Effect of Cannabidiol on Intracellular Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Introduction: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the etiologic agent of tuberculosis (TB), has killed nearly one billion people during the last two centuries. Nowadays, TB remains a major global health problem ranked among the top 10 causes of death worldwide. One of the main challenges in developing new strategies to fight TB is focused on reducing the duration and complexity of drug regimens. Cannabidiol (CBD) is the main nonpsychoactive ingredient extracted from the Cannabis sativa L. plant, which has been shown to be biologically active against bacteria. The purpose of this work was to investigate the antimicrobial effect of CBD on M. tuberculosis intracellular infection. Materials and Methods: To assess the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of CBD on mycobacterial strains, the MTT assay was performed on Mycobacterium smegmatis, and the Colony-Forming Unit (CFU) assay was conducted on MtbH37Rv. Additionally, the cytotoxic effect of CBD on THP-1 cells was assessed by MTT assay. Moreover, macrophages derived from the THP-1 cell were infected with MtbH37Rv (multiplicity of infection 1:10) to evaluate the intracellular activity of CBD by determining the CFU/mL. Results: Antimicrobial activity against M. smegmatis (MIC=100 µM) and MtbH37Rv (MIC=25 µM) cultures was exhibited by CBD. Furthermore, the effect of CBD was also evaluated on MtbH37Rv infected macrophage cells. Interestingly, a reduction in viable intracellular MtbH37Rv bacteria was observed after 24 h of treatment. Moreover, CBD exhibited a safe profile toward human THP-1 cells, since it showed no toxicity (CC50=1075 µM) at a concentration of antibacterial effect (selectivity index 43). Conclusion: These results extend the knowledge regarding the antimicrobial activity of CBD and demonstrate its ability to kill the human intracellular pathogen M. tuberculosis.

Recently activated CD4 T cells in tuberculosis express OX40 as a target for host-directed immunotherapy.

After Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection, many effector T cells traffic to the lungs, but few become activated. Here we use an antigen receptor reporter mouse (Nur77-GFP) to identify recently activated CD4 T cells in the lungs. These Nur77-GFPHI cells contain expanded TCR clonotypes, have elevated expression of co-stimulatory genes such as Tnfrsf4/OX40, and are functionally more protective than Nur77-GFPLO cells. By contrast, Nur77-GFPLO cells express markers of terminal exhaustion and cytotoxicity, and the trafficking receptor S1pr5, associated with vascular localization. A short course of immunotherapy targeting OX40+ cells transiently expands CD4 T cell numbers and shifts their phenotype towards parenchymal protective cells. Moreover, OX40 agonist immunotherapy decreases the lung bacterial burden and extends host survival, offering an additive benefit to antibiotics. CD4 T cells from the cerebrospinal fluid of humans with HIV-associated tuberculous meningitis commonly express surface OX40 protein, while CD8 T cells do not. Our data thus propose OX40 as a marker of recently activated CD4 T cells at the infection site and a potential target for immunotherapy in tuberculosis.

Tuberculous Bronchopleural Fistula: A Rare and Life-Threatening Disease.

Tuberculous bronchopleural fistula (BPF) is a rare and potentially life-threatening complication of pulmonary tuberculosis, in which abnormal connections form between the bronchial tree and the pleural space. These abnormal connections allow air and secretions to pass from the lungs into the pleural space, causing a range of symptoms from benign cough to acute tension pneumothorax. The management of tuberculous BPF requires an individualized approach based on the patient's condition and response to treatment. Anti-tuberculosis therapy is essential for controlling the active tuberculosis infections. Intercostal drainage and suction are also commonly used to drain air and fluid from the pleural space, providing relief from the symptoms. For some patients, more invasive surgeries, such as decortication, thoracoplasty or pleuropneumonectomy are required to definitively close the fistula when medical management alone is insufficient. Herein, we describe a rare case of tuberculous BPF in a young adult female, who was treated with anti-tuberculosis medications and open thoracotomy.

Using a theory-informed approach to guide the initial development of a post-tuberculosis care package in British Columbia, Canada.

BACKGROUND: The importance of addressing the long-term needs of tuberculosis (TB) survivors is gaining increasing attention. One promising approach to improving post-TB care is implementing a post-TB care package. With a specific focus on the perspectives of healthcare providers in British Columbia, Canada, this study aimed to (1) determine a set of components to be included in a post-TB care package, (2) explore barriers and facilitators influencing their implementation, and (3) propose potential solutions to overcome identified challenges. METHODS: Employing a multi-method approach guided by the Theoretical Domains Framework, we first conducted virtual workshops with TB care providers and utilized a modified Delphi process to establish a preliminary list of care package components. Then, we surveyed healthcare providers using closed-ended, Likert-scale questions to identify implementation barriers and enablers. Lastly, we mapped the identified barriers and enablers to establish behaviour change techniques to identify possible solutions to overcome the challenges identified. RESULTS: Eleven participants attended virtual workshops, and 23 of 51 (45.1%) healthcare providers completed questionnaires. Identified components of the post-TB care package included: 1. Linking people with TB to a primary care provider if they do not have one. 2. Referring people with pulmonary TB for an end-of-treatment chest x-ray and pulmonary function testing. 3. Referring people with TB who smoke to a smoking cessation specialist. 4. Sharing a one-page post-TB information sheet with the patient's primary care provider, including a summary of post-TB health concerns, complications, and recommendations to prioritize age-appropriate screening for cardiovascular disease, lung cancer, and depression. Survey results indicated that domain scores for 'environment, context, and resources' were the lowest, suggesting potential implementation barriers. Care navigation services to help individuals overcome health system barriers while transitioning from TB care, information leaflets, and checklists summarizing key post-TB health concerns for patients and healthcare providers to help facilitate discussions may help overcome the identified barriers. CONCLUSION: Healthcare providers in British Columbia acknowledge that post-TB care is integral to comprehensive health care but are limited by time and resources. Care navigation services, a post-TB checklist, and patient information leaflets may help resolve some of these barriers.

Challenges in the management of depressive disorders comorbid with tuberculosis and type 2 diabetes.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The aim of this study was to address the most relevant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in the management of depressive disorders among patients with diabetes mellitus and tuberculosis (TB). RECENT FINDINGS: Depressive disorder, diabetes mellitus and TB are considered important contributors to the global burden of diseases with an emphasis on developing countries. Depressive disorder increases the chance of negative outcomes during the treatment of both diabetes mellitus and TB, while biological and adaptive changes due to diabetes mellitus and TB increase in turn the chance of depressive disorder. SUMMARY: In this review, we present major challenges in the management of depressive disorder among patients with TB and diabetes mellitus, from detection and clinical diagnosis using appropriate diagnostic tools, to selecting the best psychotherapeutic and/or pharmacological intervention, considering the potential, adverse events and interactions due to potential polypharmacy.

Developing a Model for Integrating of Tuberculosis, Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Primary Healthcare Services in Oliver Reginald (O.R) Tambo District, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Despite the policy, frameworks for integration exist; integration of TB and HIV services is far from ideal in many resource-limited countries, including South Africa. Few studies have examined the advantages and disadvantages of integrated TB and HIV care in public health facilities, and even fewer have proposed conceptual models for proven integration. This study aims to fill this vacuum by describing the development of a paradigm for integrating TB, HIV, and patient services in a single facility and highlights the importance of TB-HIV services for greater accessibility under one roof. Development of the proposed model occurred in several phases that included assessment of the existing integration model for TB-HIV and synthesis of quantitative and qualitative data from the study sites, which were selected public health facilities in rural and peri-urban areas in the Oliver Reginald (O.R.) Tambo District Municipality in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Secondary data on clinical outcomes from 2009-2013 TB-HIV were obtained from various sources for the quantitative analysis of Part 1. Qualitative data included focus group discussions with patients and healthcare workers, which were analyzed thematically in Parts 2 and 3. The development of a potentially better model and the validation of this model shows that the district health system was strengthened by the guiding principles of the model, which placed a strong emphasis on inputs, processes, outcomes, and integration effects. The model is adaptable to different healthcare delivery systems but requires the support of patients, providers (professionals and institutions), payers, and policymakers to be successful.

New Onset of Tuberculosis Complicating FDG PET/CT Evaluation in Patient With Recent Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy.

ABSTRACT: A 16-year-old adolescent girl with CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia experienced new onset of the fever. 18 F-FDG PET/CT studies acquired at 1 and 2 months, respectively, after CAR-T, showed foci of abnormal activity in the mediastinal lymph nodes not seen on the study before therapy. However, these foci of abnormal activity were later proven due to newly developed tuberculosis after CAR T-cell therapy.

Coinfección COVID-19 y tuberculosis: experiencia de una terapia intensiva durante el periodo enero 2020-junio 2022 / COVID-19 and tuberculosis co-infection: experience of an intensive care unit during the period of January-june 2022

Antecedentes: Se ha demostrado que la coinfección tu-berculosis y COVID-19 presenta peor evolución clínica. La inmunidad protectora se debilita frente a esta situación, generando fallo en el control de ambas infecciones, reac-tivación de formas latentes de tuberculosis y progresión exacerbada de los casos activos. Asimismo, la terapia con corticoides utilizada dentro del tratamiento de infecciones graves por COVID-19 puede generar inmunosupresión y precipitar la progresión de la tuberculosis.Objetivos: Describir las características clínicas, presenta-ción y evolución de los pacientes críticos con coinfección COVID-19 y tuberculosis. Evaluar la incidencia y letalidad de la asociación COVID-19 y tuberculosis en cuidados in-tensivos. Materiales y métodos: Se realizó un estudio retrospectivo, descriptivo. Se revisaron 12 historias clínicas de pacientes con coinfección COVID-19-tuberculosis sobre 1014 histo-rias clínicas de pacientes ingresados con diagnóstico de COVID-19, durante el periodo comprendido enero 2020 y junio 2022. Se utilizó estadística descriptiva. Resultados y discusión: Sobre un total de 1014 historias clínicas, se encontraron 12 pacientes con coinfección (in-cidencia de 0,011). La letalidad global en cuidados inten-sivos fue del 75%, a los 45 días fue del 83,3%, duplicando la letalidad general de los pacientes COVID-19 no coinfec-tados ingresados durante el mismo periodo (75% versus 37%). Los pacientes que requirieron ingreso a ventilación RESUMENARTÍCULO ORIGINALmecánica tuvieron una letalidad del 100% y aquellos que tenían infección por virus de inmunodeficiencia adquirida presentaron una letalidad de 100%. Resulta importante describir los hallazgos y alertar sobre la evolución desfavorable de aquellos pacientes que pre-sentan esta asociación a fin de optimizar el manejo y espe-cialmente recomendar la búsqueda de coinfección cuando el criterio clínico lo requiera

Background: Coinfection with tuberculosis and COVID-19 has been shown to have a worse clinical course. Protective immunity is weakened in this situation, leading to failure to control both infections, reactivation of latent forms of TB and exacerbated progression of active cases. Furthermore, corticosteroid therapy used in the treatment of severe COVID-19 infections can lead to immunosuppression and precipitate TB progression.Objectives: To describe the clinical characteristics, presentation and evolution of critically ill patients with COVID-19 and tuberculosis co-infection.To evaluate the incidence and lethality of COVID-19 and tuberculosis association in intensive care.Materials and methods: A retrospective, descriptive study was conducted. Twelve medical records of patients aged 18 years or older admitted to intensive care with a diagnosis of COVID-19 during the period January 2020 to July 2022 were reviewed. Descriptive statistics were used.Results and discussion: Out of a total of 1014 medical records, 12 patients were found with co-infection (incidence 0.011). The global intensive care case fatality was 75%, at 45 days it was 83.3%. This was twice the overall case fatality of non-co-infected COVID-19 patients admitted during the same period (75% versus 37%). Patients requiring admission to mechanical ventilation had a 100% case fatality and those with acquired immunodeficiency virus infection had a 100% case fatality.It is important to describe the findings and to alert to the worse evolution of those patients presenting with this association, in order to improve management and recommend searching for co-infection when clinical criteria require it

Acceptability and feasibility of tuberculosis and diabetes mellitus bidirectional screening and joint treatment services in Malawi: a cross-sectional study and a policy document review.

OBJECTIVES: A cross-sectional and a policy document review study was performed to investigate perceived acceptability and feasibility to implementing different integration measures for tuberculosis (TB) and diabetes mellitus (DM) healthcare among healthcare workers (HCWs) and health managers, and to describe policy influence through a policy documents review in Malawi. SETTING: The survey was performed at eight hospitals, ministry of health offices and 10 non-governmental organisations. We collected data in March and April 2021. PARTICIPANTS: Of 95 HCWs and health managers invited; 92 participated. 21/92 (23%) were female, and 17/92 (18%) participants were from clinics that piloted the integrated care for TB and DM. OUTCOME MEASURES: We described awareness levels on TB/DM comorbidity, perceptions and experiences in TB/DM care. Furthermore, development processes and contents of included documents were analysed. RESULTS: 16/17 (94%) of HCWs from clinics piloting integrated care and 65/75 (86%) HCWs from hospitals that do not use integrated care for TB and DM responded that integrated care was acceptable and feasible. In qualitative data, shortage of resources, inadequate information sharing were common themes. We included seven relevant documents for the analysis. On development process and content, six of seven documents were scored ≥70%. In these documents, DM is a recognised risk factor for TB, and integration of healthcare services for infectious diseases and non-communicable diseases is recommended, however, these documents lacked information specifically on integrated care for TB and DM. CONCLUSION: In this study, we identified inadequate information sharing, and lack of resources as major factors impeding implementation of integration of services, however, awareness on TB/DM comorbidity was high.

Avances en tuberculosis en el 54º congreso chileno de enfermedades respiratorias. 2ª parte: nuevas normas técnicas chilenas para el control y eliminación de la tuberculosis / New Chilean technical standards for the control and elimination of tuberculosis

La incidencia de la tuberculosis (TBC) en Chile se ha ido incrementando en el último quinquenio, excepto al inicio de la pandemia de Covid-19, donde la pesquisa de TBC se redujo en forma importante. El escenario epidemiológico actual dista del objetivo propuesto en la Estrategia Nacional de Salud (ENS) de la década 2011-2020 (un plan nacional de gobierno para enfermedades relevantes en la población) que consistía en alcanzar una tasa de incidencia de todas las formas de TBC menor a 5 / 100.000 habitantes. La nueva ENS para la década 2021-2030 propone reducir la incidencia de la enfermedad mediante el diagnóstico oportuno y precoz focalizando las intervenciones en las poblaciones de riesgo de la enfermedad (grupos vulnerables), a modo de pesquisa activa y no solo como pesquisa por consultas espontáneas de sintomáticos respiratorios, o tamizajes masivos que pueden no seleccionar a la población de riesgo. También propone intervenir en la prevención priorizando el estudio y tratamiento de la población con Infección Tuberculosa Latente (ITL) de mayor riesgo de progresión hacia la enfermedad. Por último, se pretende mejorar la eficiencia del proceso de tratamiento de la TBC, optimizando el acceso y adherencia a las terapias de los casos activos de TBC como medida de incrementar la proporción de curación. Una nueva norma ministerial para el manejo y control de la TBC puede ayudar enormemente a esta propuesta. Esta norma entrada plenamente en vigencia el año 2022 entrega las herramientas operacionales para cumplir el objetivo señalado para la nueva ENS. La norma incorpora actividades tendientes a lograr una mayor cobertura de estudio y tratamiento de la ITL en grupos específicos, donde se incluyen, además de los contactos infantiles, a los contactos adultos y a otros grupos vulnerables. La terapia para esta condición se realizará utilizando la asociación de Isoniazida con Rifapentina de preferencia. Esta terapia se aplica bajo supervisión en una dosis semanal durante 3 meses (12 dosis) y ha demostrado mejor adherencia y menor toxicidad hepática. Para el diagnóstico oportuno de TBC la pesquisa se ha focalizado en los sintomáticos respiratorios (tos con expectoración) de más de 2 semanas en personas que pertenecen a alguno de los grupos vulnerables, o que tienen rasgos clínicos muy sugerentes de la enfermedad (fiebre, sudoración vespertina, hemoptisis, compromiso del estado general). Como herramienta diagnóstica deja de utilizarse la baciloscopía por su baja sensibilidad y es sustituida por pruebas moleculares, siendo la plataforma automatizada de amplificación de ADN del complejo M. tuberculosis más utilizada y disponible en los servicios de salud públicos el GeneXpert MTB/RIF Ultra, que además entrega información de la susceptibilidad a la rifampicina a través de la identificación de una mutación específica del genoma (gen rpoB). Con esta tecnología se agiliza el proceso diagnóstico (puede obtener resultados durante el día de ejecución, habitualmente no demoraría más de 2 horas) y es de alta sensibilidad (sensibilidad muy similar al cultivo). El tratamiento de la TBC sensible a los fármacos del esquema primario (rifampicina = R, isoniazida = H, etambutol = E y pirazinamida = Z) consiste en la administración diaria en la fase inicial (con los 4 fármacos) durante 2 meses y en la fase de continuación (con isoniazida y rifampicina) durante 4 meses, totalmente supervisado. La TBC con resistencia a rifampicina tiene tratamiento con un esquema acortado oral de 9 meses con nuevos fármacos: bedaquilina, linezolid, clofazimina y levofloxacino (6 meses con los 4 fármacos, seguido de 3 meses con clofazimina y levofloxacino). Estas terapias de alta calidad son seguras y prometen mejores resultados de curación. La nueva norma significa una mayor cobertura para la erradicación de los reservorios de la enfermedad y una mayor precisión en el diagnóstico de las fuentes de trasmisión comunitaria de la enfermedad, siendo un aporte significativo hacia la eliminación de la TBC en el país.

The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in Chile has been increasing in the last five years except at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic where TB screening has clearly decreased. The current epidemiological scenario is far from the goal proposed in the National Health Strategy (NHS) of the decade 2011-2020 (a national government plan for relevant diseases in the population) which was to achieve an incidence rate of all forms of TB less than 5/100,000 inhabitants. The new NHS for the decade 2021-2030 proposes to reduce the incidence of the disease through timely and early diagnosis by focusing interventions on populations at risk of the disease (vulnerable groups), as an active screening and not only as screening for spontaneous consultations of respiratory symptomatic or mass screenings that may not select the population at risk. It also proposed to intervene in prevention prioritizing the study and treatment of the population with Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTI) at higher risk of progression to the disease. Finally, it intends to improve the efficiency of the TB treatment process, optimizing access and adherence to therapies of active TB cases as a measure to increase the cure rate. A new ministerial standard for the management and control of TB can greatly help this proposal. This standard, fully effective in 2022, provides the operational tools to meet the objective set for the new NHS. The standard incorporates activities aimed at achieving greater coverage of study and treatment of LTI in specific groups, which include, in addition to child contacts, adult contacts and other vulnerable groups. Therapy for this condition will be performed using the combination of isoniazid with rifapentine preferably. Therapy is administered under supervision and patients receive therapy once a week for 12 doses for 3 months. This therapy has shown better adherence and lower liver toxicity. For the timely diagnosis of TB, case finding has focused on respiratory symptoms (cough and expectoration) for more than 2 weeks, in individuals that belong to one of the vulnerable groups, or that have additional clinical features very suggestive of the disease (fever, afternoon sweats, hemoptysis, compromise of the general condition). Smear sputum as a diagnostic tool is no longer used due to low sensitivity and it was replaced by molecular tests in automated platform for DNA amplification of the mycobacterium TB complex. The more used and available in public health services is GeneXpert MTB / RIF Ultra, which also provides information on susceptibility to rifampicin through the identification of a specific genome mutation (rpoB gene). With this technology, the diagnostic process is streamlined (you can obtain results during the day of execution, usually it would not take more than 2 hours) and sensitivity is high (sensitivity very similar to culture). Treatment of TB sensitive to first line drugs (rifampicin, isoniazid, ethambutol and pyrazinamide) consists of daily administration in the initial phase (with four drugs) for 2 months and in the continuation phase (with isoniazid and rifampicin) for 4 months, fully supervised. In rifampicin resistant TB, the treatment is a shortened oral regimen of 9 months with new drugs: bedaquiline, linezolid, clofazimine and levofloxacin (six months with four drugs, followed by three months with clofazimine and levofloxacin). These high-quality therapies are safe and promise better healing results. The new national standards mean a greater coverage for the eradication of the reservoirs of the disease and a greater precision in the diagnosis of the sources of community transmission of tuberculosis, being a significant contribution towards the path of control and elimination of TB in the country.

Challenges in physiotherapy of managing respiratory diseases in elderly population.

INTRODUCTION: Lung function is a convincing prognosticator of longevity. With advancing age, there are many irreversible functional and anatomic changes in the body, making elderly susceptible to disease processes. As people age, the respiratory system experiences a number of anatomical, physiological, and immunological changes, predisposing risk of many chronic lung diseases (CLDs). Respiratory tract infections, TB, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and interstitial pulmonary disease are examples of common respiratory diseases (CRDs). The risk factors are mainly smoking, exposure to air pollution both indoors and outdoors, allergies, occupational exposure, poor diet, obesity, inactivity. Between 25 and 80 years the lung function and aerobic capacity each decline by ∼40% limiting physical function and promoting multimorbidity. In elderly, skeletal muscle dysfunction causes age-related multifactorial health disorders such sarcopenia and frailty, a recognised symptom of chronic respiratory disease. METHODS: This perspective article highlights the importance of pulmonary physiotherapy in elderly with chronic lung disease and other chronic respiratory disorders. Common symptoms frequently experienced are dyspnoea, fatigue, decreased exercise tolerance, peripheral muscle dysfunction, and mental disturbances. An individual's symptoms, physical functioning, quality of life (QoL), hospitalisation, and morbidity goals are all addressed by a pulmonary rehabilitation programme (PRP). Pulmonary physiotherapy, an extensive patient-tailored intervention as exercise training, education, and life style modification is prescribed on the basis of a thorough personalised assessment. RESULT: Through pulmonary physiotherapy, the goal is to restore the quality of life of elderly with chronic respiratory diseases and to encourage their long-term adherence to health-improving behaviour. The older patients learn to accept and overcome the reality of their illness rather than sticking to its limits. CONCLUSION: Multidisciplinary approach with a customized and comprehensive program makes the difference between living a fulfilling life and living a life with pulmonary disabilities.

Vigilancia de la tuberculosis / Tuberculosis surveillance

Notificación y abordaje de la tuberculosis: casos asistidos en la Ciudad de Buenos Aires hasta la Semana Epidemiológica 22, finalizada el 25 de Julio de 2022; situación actual en residentes en la Ciudad; evaluación de los casos de los años 2020-2021; breve análisis de la población menor de 20 años; y evaluación del tratamiento 2020 y 2021.