Assessment of non-tuberculosis abnormalities on digital chest x-rays with high CAD4TB scores from a tuberculosis prevalence survey in Zambia and South Africa.

BACKGROUND: Chest X-rays (CXRs) have traditionally been used to aid the diagnosis of TB-suggestive abnormalities. Using Computer-Aided Detection (CAD) algorithms, TB risk is quantified to assist with diagnostics. However, CXRs capture all other structural abnormalities. Identification of non-TB abnormalities in individuals with CXRs that have high CAD scores but don't have bacteriologically confirmed TB is unknown. This presents a missed opportunity of extending novel CAD systems' potential to simultaneously provide information on other non-TB abnormalities alongside TB. This study aimed to characterize and estimate the prevalence of non-TB abnormalities on digital CXRs with high CAD4TB scores from a TB prevalence survey in Zambia and South Africa. METHODOLOGY: This was a cross-sectional analysis of clinical data of participants from the TREATS TB prevalence survey conducted in 21 communities in Zambia and South Africa. The study included individuals aged ≥ 15 years who had high CAD4TB scores (score ≥ 70), but had no bacteriologically confirmed TB in any of the samples submitted, were not on TB treatment, and had no history of TB. Two consultant radiologists reviewed the images for non-TB abnormalities. RESULTS: Of the 525 CXRs reviewed, 46.7% (245/525) images were reported to have non-TB abnormalities. About 11.43% (28/245) images had multiple non-TB abnormalities, while 88.67% (217/245) had a single non-TB abnormality. The readers had a fair inter-rater agreement (r = 0.40). Based on anatomical location, non-TB abnormalities in the lung parenchyma (19%) were the most prevalent, followed by Pleura (15.4%), then heart & great vessels (6.1%) abnormalities. Pleural effusion/thickening/calcification (8.8%) and cardiomegaly (5%) were the most prevalent non-TB abnormalities. Prevalence of (2.7%) for pneumonia not typical of pulmonary TB and (2.1%) mass/nodules (benign/ malignant) were also reported. CONCLUSION: A wide range of non-TB abnormalities can be identified on digital CXRs among individuals with high CAD4TB scores but don't have bacteriologically confirmed TB. Adaptation of AI systems like CAD4TB as a tool to simultaneously identify other causes of abnormal CXRs alongside TB can be interesting and useful in non-faculty-based screening programs to better link cases to appropriate care.

Xpert Ultra stool testing to diagnose tuberculosis in children in Ethiopia and Indonesia: a model-based cost-effectiveness analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The WHO currently recommends stool testing using GeneXpert MTB/Rif (Xpert) for the diagnosis of paediatric tuberculosis (TB). The simple one-step (SOS) stool method enables processing for Xpert testing at the primary healthcare (PHC) level. We modelled the impact and cost-effectiveness of implementing the SOS stool method at PHC for the diagnosis of paediatric TB in Ethiopia and Indonesia, compared with the standard of care. SETTING: All children (age <15 years) presenting with presumptive TB at primary healthcare or hospital level in Ethiopia and Indonesia. PRIMARY OUTCOME: Cost-effectiveness estimated as incremental costs compared with incremental disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) saved. METHODS: Decision tree modelling was used to represent pathways of patient care and referral. We based model parameters on ongoing studies and surveillance, systematic literature review, and expert opinion. We estimated costs using data available publicly and obtained through in-country expert consultations. Health outcomes were based on modelled mortality and discounted life-years lost. RESULTS: The intervention increased the sensitivity of TB diagnosis by 19-25% in both countries leading to a 14-20% relative reduction in mortality. Under the intervention, fewer children seeking care at PHC were referred (or self-referred) to higher levels of care; the number of children initiating anti-TB treatment (ATT) increased by 18-25%; and more children (85%) initiated ATT at PHC level. Costs increased under the intervention compared with a base case using smear microscopy in the standard of care resulting in incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of US$132 and US$94 per DALY averted in Ethiopia and Indonesia, respectively. At a cost-effectiveness threshold of 0.5×gross domestic product per capita, the projected probability of the intervention being cost-effective in Ethiopia and Indonesia was 87% and 96%, respectively. The intervention remained cost-effective under sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of the SOS stool method to national algorithms for diagnosing TB in children is likely to be cost-effective in both Ethiopia and Indonesia.

Tuberculosis knowledge and attitude among non-health science university students needs attention: a cross-sectional study in three Ethiopian universities.

BACKGROUND: Ethiopia is among the 14 high TB, TB/HIV and MDR-TB burden countries globally. Prior studies indicate students attending universities in Ethiopia may be at increased risk for active tuberculosis (TB) relative to the general population, mainly due to the dramatic increase in expansion of the enrollment scale of universities.This study sought to gain insight about non-health science university students' TB knowledge and attitudes to help develop a strategy for TB education in this population. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from October to December 2018 among non-health science university students at three eastern Ethiopia public universities. Participants were considered having 'good' knowledge on TB when they correctly mentioned the communicability, means of transmission and prevention methods of TB and recognized modern medicine as the best treatment for TB. Participants were considered as having 'acceptable' attitude towards TB when they indicated they would seek immediate care for TB diagnosis, not hide a TB diagnosis and feel compassion to help people with TB. RESULTS: A total of 1720 non-health science university students participated. Only 614 (35.7%) of the students had 'good' knowledge on TB. This differed significantly between universities, with students from Haramaya and Dire Dawa universities more likely to have 'good' TB knowledge than their counterparts from Jigjiga University [COR (Crude Odds Ratio):1.62 and 1.94, respectively; and 95% Confidence Interval (CI): (1.236, 2.079) and (1.511, 2.483), respectively]. Only a third of students, 555 (32.3%) mentioned 'bacteria' as causing TB, and 836 students (48.6%) had ever heard of Multi Drug Resistant-TB (MDR-TB). An 'acceptable' attitude towards people with TB was observed in 666 students (38.7%). Even though 739 students (43%) felt compassion and desire to help TB patients, 213 (12%) and 382 (22%) mentioned they fear and tend to stay away from TB patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The present study revealed that non-health science university students lack important TB knowledge and have misconceptions about TB in eastern Ethiopia. University administrators and other stakeholders striving against TB should provide due attention to university settings and consider development of student education programs to improve awareness and knowledge of TB disease.

Modeling the patient and health system impacts of alternative xpert® MTB/RIF algorithms for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: To reduce global tuberculosis (TB) burden, the active disease must be diagnosed quickly and accurately and patients should be treated and cured. In Ethiopia, TB diagnosis mainly relies on spot-morning-spot (SMS) sputum sample smear analysis using Ziehl-Neelsen staining techniques (ZN). Since 2014 targeted use of xpert has been implemented. New diagnostic techniques have higher sensitivity and are likely to detect more cases if routinely implemented. The objective of our study was to project the effects of alternative diagnostic algorithms on the patient, health system, and costs, and identify cost-effective algorithms that increase TB case detection in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. METHODS: An observational quantitative modeling framework was applied using the Virtual Implementation approach. The model was designed to represent the operational and epidemiological context of Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. We compared eight diagnostic algorithm with ZN microscopy, light emitting diode (LED) fluorescence microscopy and Xpert MTB/RIF. Interventions with an annualized cost per averted disability adjusted life year (DALY) of less than the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita are considered cost-effective interventions. RESULTS: With a cost lower than the average per-capita GDP (US$690 for Ethiopia) for each averted disability adjusted life year (DALY), three of the modeled algorithms are cost-effective. Implementing them would have important patient, health system, and population-level effects in the context of Addis Ababa ❖ The full roll-out of Xpert MTB/RIF as the primary test for all presumptive TB cases would avert 91170 DALYs (95% credible interval [CrI] 54888 - 127448) with an additional health system cost of US$ 11.6 million over the next 10 years. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) is $370 per DALY averted. ❖ Same day LED fluorescence microscopy for all presumptive TB cases combined with Xpert MTB/RIF targeted to HIV-positive and High multidrug resistant (MDR) risk groups would avert 73600 DALYs( 95% CrI 48373 - 99214) with an additional cost of US$5.1 million over the next 10 years. The ICER is $169per DALY averted. ❖ Same-day LED fluorescence microscopy for all presumptive TB cases (and no Xpert MTB/RIF) would avert 43580 DALYs with a reduction cost of US$ 0.2 million over the next 10years. The ICER is $13 per DALY averted. CONCLUSIONS: The full roll-out of Xpert MTB/RIF is predicted to be the best option to substantially reduce the TB burden in Addis Ababa and is considered cost effective. However, the investment cost to implement this is far beyond the budget of the national TB control program. Targeted use of Xpert MTB/RIF for HIV positive and high MDR risk groups with same-day LED fluorescence microscopy for all other presumptive TB cases is an affordable alternative.

Determinants of delayed care seeking for TB suggestive symptoms in Seru district, Oromiya region, Ethiopia: a community based unmatched case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Early tuberculosis (TB) case finding and adequate chemotherapy are essential for interrupting disease transmission and preventing complications due to delayed care seeking. This study was undertaken in order to provide insights into the magnitude and determinants of patient delay. METHODS: The study was conducted in rural Seru district, employing a population based unmatched case-control study design. The WHO standardized TB screening tool was used to identify presumptive TB cases among the district population ages > 15 years. Presumptive TB cases who sought care in a health facility more than 14 days after the onset of symptoms were considered cases while those who sought care within the first 14 days were classified as controls. A structured interview questionnaire was used to capture socio demographic characteristics and health care service utilization related data from the study participants. A multiple binary logistic regression model was used to identify any factor associated with patient care seeking delay. RESULT: A total of 9,782 individuals were screened, of which 980 (10%, 95% CI; 9.4-10.5%) presumptive TB cases were identified. From these cases 358 (76%, 95% CI; 75.6%-76.4%) sought care within the first 14 days of the onset of symptoms with a median patient delay of 15 days, IQR (5-30 days). The most common TB suggestive symptom mentioned by the participants was night sweat 754 (76.4%) while the least common was a history of contact with a confirmed TB case in the past one year 207 (21.1%). Individuals in the 45-54 age range had lower odds of delay (AOR 0.31, 95%CI 0.15, 0.61) as compared to those 15-24 years old. First TB treatment episode (AOR16.2, 95% CI 9.94, 26.26) and limited access to either traditional or modern modes of transportation (AOR 2.62, 95% CI 1.25, 5.49) were independently associated with patient care delay. CONCLUSION: Increasing community awareness about the risks of delayed care seeking and the importance of accessing health services close to the community can help decrease patient care delay.

The prevalence and socio-economic determinants of HIV among teenagers aged 15-18 years who were participating in a mobile testing population based survey in 2013-2014 in Zambia.

BACKGROUND: The objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence of HIV among teenagers in Zambia and determine whether age, sex, setting, educational level, marital and socioeconomic status were associated with being HIV positive. METHODS: A cross sectional population based survey of the prevalence of HIV among teenagers aged 15-18 years old who were also participants in a national Tuberculosis (TB) prevalence survey. Consenting teenagers were counselled and tested for HIV. The HIV prevalence was estimated using a logistic regression model. Associations of social demographic characteristics with HIV were determined using univariate and multivariate. RESULTS: The study involved 6,395 teenagers aged 15-18 years where 2,532 declined HIV testing, 44 tested positive and 3,806 tested negative. The HIV prevalence was estimated to be 1.1 % (95 % CI 0.71-1.60); in females the HIV prevalence was 1.6 % (95 % CI 0.99-2.20) whereas in males it was 0.58 % (95 % CI 0.10-1.10). The prevalence of HIV was twice as high among the urban (1.90 %; 95 % CI 0.99-2.90) than the rural teenagers (0.89 %; 95 % CI 0.46-1.30), and being divorced or widowed was associated with higher risk of HIV regardless of residence. The risk of HIV was lower among students or those who were in school compared to those who were unemployed and not in school. CONCLUSION: HIV prevalence among teenagers was lower than the overall national level prevalence. The patterns of HIV risk among the young population will require further monitoring in order to identify appropriate tools for intervention.

Tuberculosis patients in the Dominican Republic face severe direct and indirect costs and need social protection.

OBJECTIVE: To examine direct and indirect costs incurred by new, retreatment, and multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB) patients in the Dominican Republic before and during diagnosis, and during treatment, to generate an evidence base and formulate recommendations. METHODS: The "Tool to Estimate Patients' Costs" was adapted to the local setting, translated into Spanish, and pretested. Patients attending 32 randomly selected health facilities in six chosen study areas on the study days were interviewed. Responses from patients 18-65 years old who had received treatment for at least one month and provided signed informed consent were collected, entered into a database, and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 200 patients were interviewed. For most respondents, direct and indirect costs increased while income decreased. Total costs amounted to a median of US$ 908 for new patients, US$ 432 for retreatment patients, and US$ 3 557 for MDR-TB patients. The proportion of patients without a regular income increased from 1% to 54% because of falling ill with TB. Following its review of the study results the Ministry of Health has made efforts to allocate public funds for food supplements and to include in- and outpatient TB services in the national health insurance schemes. CONCLUSIONS: Free TB diagnosis and treatment are not enough to alleviate the financial constraints experienced by vulnerable groups as a result of the illness. Health insurance covering TB in- and outpatient costs is critical to prevent TB-related financial hardship.

Tuberculosis patients in the Dominican Republic face severe direct and indirect costs and need social protection / Los pacientes con tuberculosis en la República Dominicana afrontan altos costos directos e indirectos, y necesitan protección social

OBJECTIVE: To examine direct and indirect costs incurred by new, retreatment, and multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB) patients in the Dominican Republic before and during diagnosis, and during treatment, to generate an evidence base and formulate recommendations. METHODS: The "Tool to Estimate Patients' Costs" was adapted to the local setting, translated into Spanish, and pretested. Patients attending 32 randomly selected health facilities in six chosen study areas on the study days were interviewed. Responses from patients 18-65 years old who had received treatment for at least one month and provided signed informed consent were collected, entered into a database, and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 200 patients were interviewed. For most respondents, direct and indirect costs increased while income decreased. Total costs amounted to a median of US$ 908 for new patients, US$ 432 for retreatment patients, and US$ 3 557 for MDR-TB patients. The proportion of patients without a regular income increased from 1% to 54% because of falling ill with TB. Following its review of the study results the Ministry of Health has made efforts to allocate public funds for food supplements and to include in- and outpatient TB services in the national health insurance schemes. CONCLUSIONS: Free TB diagnosis and treatment are not enough to alleviate the financial constraints experienced by vulnerable groups as a result of the illness. Health insurance covering TB in- and outpatient costs is critical to prevent TB-related financial hardship.

OBJETIVO: Examinar los costos directos e indirectos afrontados por los pacientes con tuberculosis en la República Dominicana, ya sea por un tratamiento nuevo, por retratamiento, o por una tuberculosis multirresistente (MR), antes y a lo largo del proceso diagnóstico y durante el tratamiento, con objeto de generar una base de datos probatorios y formular recomendaciones. MÉTODOS: El "Instrumento de cálculo de los costos afrontados por los pacientes" ("Tool to Estimate Patients' Costs") se adaptó al entorno local, se tradujo al español y se sometió a una prueba preliminar. Durante los días en que se llevó a cabo el estudio, se entrevistó a los pacientes que acudían a 32 establecimientos de salud seleccionados aleatoriamente en seis zonas elegidas para ello. Se recopilaron las respuestas de los pacientes de 18 a 65 años de edad que habían recibido tratamiento durante al menos un mes y que habían prestado su consentimiento por escrito. Las respuestas se introdujeron en una base de datos y se analizaron. RESULTADOS: Se entrevistó a 200 pacientes. Para la mayoría de los entrevistados, los costos directos e indirectos aumentaban a medida que se reducían sus ingresos. Los costos totales ascendieron a una mediana de US$ 908 para los nuevos pacientes, US$ 432 para los pacientes en retratamiento y US$ 3 557 para los pacientes con tuberculosis multirresistente. La proporción de pacientes sin ingresos regulares aumentó de 1 a 54% como consecuencia de haber contraído la tuberculosis. Después de examinar los resultados del estudio, el Ministerio de Salud ha llevado a cabo iniciativas con objeto de asignar fondos públicos para suplementos alimentarios y para incluir los servicios de atención hospitalaria y ambulatoria de la tuberculosis en los programas del seguro nacional de enfermedad. CONCLUSIONES: El diagnóstico y el tratamiento gratuitos de la tuberculosis no son suficientes para mitigar las limitaciones financieras afrontadas por los grupos vulnerables como consecuencia de la enfermedad. Es esencial que el seguro de enfermedad cubra los costos de la atención hospitalaria y ambulatoria de la tuberculosis para paliar las dificultades financieras relacionadas con la enfermedad.

Assessing access barriers to tuberculosis care with the tool to Estimate Patients' Costs: pilot results from two districts in Kenya.

BACKGROUND: The poor face geographical, socio-cultural and health system barriers in accessing tuberculosis care. These may cause delays to timely diagnosis and treatment resulting in more advanced disease and continued transmission of TB. By addressing barriers and reasons for delay, costs incurred by TB patients can be effectively reduced. A Tool to Estimate Patients' Costs has been developed. It can assist TB control programs in assessing such barriers. This study presents the Tool and results of its pilot in Kenya. METHODS: The Tool was adapted to the local setting, translated into Kiswahili and pretested. Nine public health facilities in two districts in Eastern Province were purposively sampled. Responses gathered from TB patients above 15 years of age with at least one month of treatment completed and signed informed consent were double entered and analyzed. Follow-up interviews with key informants on district and national level were conducted to assess the impact of the pilot and to explore potential interventions. RESULTS: A total of 208 patients were interviewed in September 2008. TB patients in both districts have a substantial burden of direct (out of pocket; USD 55.8) and indirect (opportunity; USD 294.2) costs due to TB. Inability to work is a major cause of increased poverty. Results confirm a 'medical poverty trap' situation in the two districts: expenditures increased while incomes decreased. Subsequently, TB treatment services were decentralized to fifteen more facilities and other health programs were approached for nutritional support of TB patients and sputum sample transport. On the national level, a TB and poverty sub-committee was convened to develop a comprehensive pro-poor approach. CONCLUSIONS: The Tool to Estimate Patients' Costs proved to be a valuable instrument to assess the costs incurred by TB patients, socioeconomic situations, health-seeking behavior patterns, concurrent illnesses such as HIV, and social and gender-related impacts. The Tool helps to identify and tackle bottlenecks in access to TB care, especially for the poor. Reducing delays in diagnosis, decentralization of services, fully integrated TB/HIV care and expansion of health insurance coverage would alleviate patients' economic constraints due to TB.

Malaria and urbanization in sub-Saharan Africa.

There are already 40 cities in Africa with over 1 million inhabitants and the United Nations Environmental Programme estimates that by 2025 over 800 million people will live in urban areas. Recognizing that malaria control can improve the health of the vulnerable and remove a major obstacle to their economic development, the Malaria Knowledge Programme of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and the Systemwide Initiative on Malaria and Agriculture convened a multi-sectoral technical consultation on urban malaria in Pretoria, South Africa from 2nd to 4th December, 2004. The aim of the meeting was to identify strategies for the assessment and control of urban malaria. This commentary reflects the discussions held during the meeting and aims to inform researchers and policy makers of the potential for containing and reversing the emerging problem of urban malaria.

Does irrigated urban agriculture influence the transmission of malaria in the city of Kumasi, Ghana?

To verify the possible impact of irrigated urban agriculture on malaria transmission in cities, we studied entomological parameters, self-reported malaria episodes, and household-level data in the city of Kumasi, Ghana. A comparison was made between city locations without irrigated agriculture, city locations with irrigated urban vegetable production, and peri-urban (PU) locations with rain-fed agriculture. In the rainy as well as dry seasons, larvae of Anopheles spp. were identified in the irrigation systems of the urban farms. Night catches revealed significantly higher adult anopheline densities in peri-urban and urban agricultural locations compared to non-agricultural urban locations. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of Anopheles gambiae sensu lato revealed that all specimens processed were A. gambiae sensu stricto. The pattern observed in the night catches was consistent with household interviews because significantly more episodes of malaria and subsequent days lost due to illness were reported in peri-urban and urban agricultural locations than in non-agricultural urban locations. In Kumasi, urban agriculture is mainly practised in inland valleys, which might naturally produce more mosquitoes. Therefore more detailed studies, also in other cities with different water sources and irrigation systems, and a better spatial distribution of sites with and without urban agriculture than in Kumasi are needed.