Strain structure analysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis circulating among HIV negative, positive and drug resistant TB patients attending chest clinics in Western Kenya.

BACKGROUND: Despite global tuberculosis (TB) interventions, the disease remains one of the major public health concerns. Kenya is ranked 15th among 22 high burden TB countries globally. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Western Kenya, which comprises 10 counties. A multistage sampling method was used where a single sub-county was randomly selected followed by sampling two high volume health facility from each sub-county. Identification of spoligotype profiles and their family distribution and lineage level were achieved by comparison with SITVIT database. RESULTS: Lineage distribution pattern revealed that the most predominant lineage was CAS 220 (39.8%) followed by Beijing 128 (23.1%). The other lineages identified were T, LAM, H, X, S and MANU which were quantified as 87 (15.7%), 67 (12.1%), 16 (2.8%), 10 (1.8%), 8 (1.4%) and 5 (0.9%) respectively. CAS and Beijing strains were the most predominant lineage in both HIV negative and positive TB patients. The Beijing lineage was also the most predominant in resistant M. tuberculosis strains as compared to wild type. A total of 12 (2.0%) were orphaned M. tuberculosis strains which were spread across all the 10 counties of the study site. In multivariate logistic regression adjusting for potential cofounders three potential risk factors were significant. HIV status (OR = 1.52, CI = 0.29-3.68 and P value of 0.001), Alcohol use (OR = 0.59, CI = 0.43-3.12 and P-value =0.001) and cross border travel (OR = 0.61, CI = 0.49-3.87 and P value = 0.026). Most M. tuberculosis clinical isolates showed genetic clustering with multivariate logistic regression indicating three potential risk factors to clustering. HIV status (OR = 1.52, CI = 0.29-3.68 and P value of 0.001), Alcohol use (OR = 0.59, CI = 0.43-3.12 and P-value =0.001) and cross border travel (OR = 0.61, CI = 0.49-3.87 and P value = 0.026). CONCLUSION: There exist diverse strains of M. tuberculosis across the 10 counties of Western Kenya. Predominant distribution of clustered genotype points to the fact that most TB cases in this region are as a result of resent transmission other than activation of latent TB.

Children as sentinels of tuberculosis transmission: disease mapping of programmatic data.

BACKGROUND: Identifying hotspots of tuberculosis transmission can inform spatially targeted active case-finding interventions. While national tuberculosis programs maintain notification registers which represent a potential source of data to investigate transmission patterns, high local tuberculosis incidence may not provide a reliable signal for transmission because the population distribution of covariates affecting susceptibility and disease progression may confound the relationship between tuberculosis incidence and transmission. Child cases of tuberculosis and other endemic infectious disease have been observed to provide a signal of their transmission intensity. We assessed whether local overrepresentation of child cases in tuberculosis notification data corresponds to areas where recent transmission events are concentrated. METHODS: We visualized spatial clustering of children < 5 years old notified to Peru's National Tuberculosis Program from two districts of Lima, Peru, from 2005 to 2007 using a log-Gaussian Cox process to model the intensity of the point-referenced child cases. To identify where clustering of child cases was more extreme than expected by chance alone, we mapped all cases from the notification data onto a grid and used a hierarchical Bayesian spatial model to identify grid cells where the proportion of cases among children < 5 years old is greater than expected. Modeling the proportion of child cases allowed us to use the spatial distribution of adult cases to control for unobserved factors that may explain the spatial variability in the distribution of child cases. We compare where young children are overrepresented in case notification data to areas identified as transmission hotspots using molecular epidemiological methods during a prospective study of tuberculosis transmission conducted from 2009 to 2012 in the same setting. RESULTS: Areas in which childhood tuberculosis cases are overrepresented align with areas of spatial concentration of transmission revealed by molecular epidemiologic methods. CONCLUSIONS: Age-disaggregated notification data can be used to identify hotspots of tuberculosis transmission and suggest local force of infection, providing an easily accessible source of data to target active case-finding intervention.

Child and adult spinal tuberculosis at tertiary hospitals in the Western Cape, South Africa: 4-year burden and trend.

The aim of this retrospective review was to assess the overall burden and trend in spinal tuberculosis (TB) at tertiary hospitals in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. All spinal TB cases seen at the province's three tertiary hospitals between 2012 and 2015 were identified and clinical records of each case assessed. Cases were subsequently classified as bacteriologically confirmed or clinically diagnosed and reported with accompanying clinical and demographic information. Odds ratios (OR) for severe spinal disease and corrective surgery in child vs. adult cases were calculated. A total of 393 cases were identified (319 adults, 74 children), of which 283 (72%) were bacteriologically confirmed. Adult cases decreased year-on-year (P = 0.04), however there was no clear trend in child cases. Kyphosis was present in 60/74 (81%) children and 243/315 (77%) adults with available imaging. Corrective spinal surgery was performed in 35/74 (47%) children and 80/319 (25%) adults (OR 2.7, 95% confidence interval 1.6-4.5, P = 0.0003). These findings suggest that Western Cape tertiary hospitals have experienced a substantial burden of spinal TB cases in recent years with a high proportion of severe presentation, particularly among children. Spinal TB remains a public health concern with increased vigilance required for earlier diagnosis, especially of child cases.

Recurrent tuberculosis in Finland 1995-2013: a clinical and epidemiological cohort study.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the epidemiology and prevalence of potential risk factors of tuberculosis (TB) recurrence in a population-based registry cohort of 8084 TB cases between 1995 and 2013. METHODS: An episode of recurrent TB was defined as a case re-registered in the National Infectious Disease Register at least 360 days from the date of the initial registration. A regression model was used to estimate risk factors for recurrence in the national cohort. To describe the presence of known risk factors for recurrence, patient records of the recurrent cases were reviewed for TB diagnosis confirmation, potential factors affecting the risk of recurrence, the treatment regimens given and the outcomes of the TB episodes preceding the recurrence. RESULTS: TB registry data included 84 patients, for whom more than 1 TB episode had been registered. After a careful clinical review, 50 recurrent TB cases (0.6%) were identified. The overall incidence of recurrence was 113 cases per 100,000 person-years over a median follow up of 6.1 years. For the first 2 years, the incidence of recurrence was over 200/100000. In multivariate analysis of the national cohort, younger age remained an independent risk factor at all time points, and male gender and pulmonary TB at 18 years of follow-up. Among the 50 recurrent cases, 35 patients (70%) had received adequate treatment for the first episode; in 12 cases (24%) the treating physician and in two cases (4%) the patient had discontinued treatment prematurely. In one case (2%) the treatment outcome could not be assessed. CONCLUSIONS: In Finland, the rate of recurrent TB was low despite no systematic directly observed therapy. The first 2 years after a TB episode had the highest risk for recurrence. Among the recurrent cases, the observed premature discontinuation of treatment in the first episode in nearly one fourth of the recurrent cases calls for improved training of the physicians.

The Prevalence of Latent Tuberculosis Infection in the United States.

RATIONALE: Individuals with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) represent a reservoir of infection, many of whom will progress to tuberculosis (TB) disease. A central pillar of TB control in the United States is reducing this reservoir through targeted testing and treatment. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence of LTBI in the United States using the tuberculin skin test (TST) and an IFN-γ release assay. METHODS: We used nationally representative data from the 2011-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (n = 6,083 aged ≥6 yr). LTBI was measured by both the TST and QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube test (QFT-GIT). Weighted population, prevalence, and multiple logistic regression were used. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The estimated prevalence of LTBI in 2011-2012 was 4.4% as measured by the TST and 4.8% by QFT-GIT, corresponding to 12,398,000 and 13,628,000 individuals, respectively. Prevalence declined slightly since 2000 among the U.S. born but remained constant among the foreign born. Earlier birth cohorts consistently had higher prevalence than more recent ones. Higher risk groups included the foreign born, close contact with a case of TB disease, and certain racial/ethnic groups. CONCLUSIONS: After years of decline, the prevalence of LTBI remained relatively constant between 2000 and 2011. A large reservoir of 12.4 million still exists, with foreign-born persons representing an increasingly larger proportion of this reservoir (73%). Estimates and risk factors for LTBI were generally similar between the TST and QFT-GIT. The updated estimates of LTBI and associated risk groups can help improve targeted testing and treatment in the United States.

Genotype distribution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in theAegean Region and associated demographic factors

Background/aim: The Aegean Region is the second-ranking region in Turkey according to the Human Development Index and population density and it hosts 1/8 of Turkey's population. Izmir is the largest city of the region, receiving internal migration both from inside and outside the region. The tuberculosis incidence in Izmir is lower than overall in Turkey: 17.7/100,000 in 2011. Our aims were to determine genotypes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates; to explore possible associations between genotypes with case-demographic data, clinical presentation, and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns; and to determine variations in genotype distribution of strains isolated in Ege University Hospital, Izmir. Materials and methods: Forty-nine M. tuberculosis isolates from 49 patients in 1996-2000 and 421 M. tuberculosis isolates from 421 patients in 2009-2014 were spoligotyped. Drug susceptibility testing and demographic data of the 421 isolates were investigated. Chi-square, Student's t, and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for analyses. Results: Among the 470 M. tuberculosis strains, 132 different spoligopatterns were identified and 46 different clusters for 384 strains were determined. The most predominant spoligotypes were ST53 (n = 116; 24.7%) and ST41 (n = 38; 8.1%), followed by ST50 (5.7%), ST284 (4.7%), and ST4 (4.3%), respectively. ST53 was the most predominant type in both sexes. Multidrug resistance (MDR) was determined in 12 isolates, of which six were ST1.Conclusion: As a consequence of worldwide migration and increasing status of HIV-infected hosts, the increasing prevalence of Beijing strains with higher MDR rates may threaten disease control programs. With its increasing trend, ST284 could replace ST41 in the following years in this region.

[Trends of tuberculosis in the Fifth Health Region, Buenos Aires Province, years 2000-2011]. / Tendencia de la tuberculosis en la Región Sanitaria V de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, años 2000-2011.

The aim of this study was to describe the trends in tuberculosis (TB) in the Fifth Health Region (RSV) in the Buenos Aires Province. A trend study allowed the evaluation of the average variation of change in the incidence rate (IR) using simple linear regression expressed as a mean annual variation (VAP). The number of reported TB cases and IR per 100 000 population of all TB cases, pulmonary TB (PTB) and bacteriologically confirmed PTB from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2011, were analyzed by age groups: 0-14; 15-29 and over 64 years of age. The decline in IR was less than 5% for all forms of TB and lower for bacteriologically confirmed PTB cases. The highest rate of PTB and IR was concentrated in the age group of 15-29 years with stable or slightly increasing trend of IR in bacteriologically confirmed PTB. There were similar trends for bacteriologically confirmed PTB in children. The fastest decline in PTB IR occurred in 0-14 age group, while for cases over 64 years of age the decline was sustained over time. TB continues to be a health risk in RSV, with cases in younger age groups. Therefore, it remains necessary to strengthen TB control activities in this region.

The Hidden Epidemic of Isoniazid-Resistant Tuberculosis in South Africa.

Rationale: Isoniazid-resistant tuberculosis (Hr-TB) is often overlooked in diagnostic algorithms because of reliance on first-line molecular assays testing only for rifampicin resistance. Objectives: To determine the prevalence, outcomes, and molecular mechanisms associated with rifampin-susceptible, isoniazid-resistant TB (Hr-TB) in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Methods: Between April 2016 and October 2017, sputum samples were collected from patients with rifampin-susceptible TB at baseline and at Weeks 7 and 23 of drug-susceptible TB treatment. We performed isoniazid phenotypic and genotypic drug susceptibility testing, including FluoroTypeMTBDR, Sanger sequencing, targeted next-generation sequencing, and whole-genome sequencing. Results: We analyzed baseline isolates from 766 patients with rifampin-susceptible TB. Of 89 patients (11.7%) who were found to have Hr-TB, 39 (44%) had canonical katG or inhA promoter mutations; 35 (39%) had noncanonical katG mutations (including 5 with underlying large deletions); 4 (5%) had mutations in other candidate genes associated with isoniazid resistance. For 11 (12.4%), no cause of resistance was found. Conclusions: Among patients with rifampin-susceptible TB who were diagnosed using first-line molecular TB assays, there is a high prevalence of Hr-TB. Phenotypic drug susceptibility testing remains the gold standard. To improve the performance of genetic-based phenotyping tests, all isoniazid resistance-associated regions should be included, and such tests should have the ability to identify underlying mutations.

Epidemiology and Clinical Characteristics of Ocular Tuberculosis in the United States, 1993-2019.

Background: Data regarding ocular tuberculosis (OTB) in the United States have not been previously reported. We evaluated trends of OTB compared with other extrapulmonary TB (EPTB). Methods: We estimated the proportion of all EPTB cases (with or without concurrent pulmonary involvement) with OTB reported to the National Tuberculosis Surveillance System during 1993-2019. We compared demographics and clinical characteristics of people with OTB and other EPTB during 2010-2019. P values were calculated by chi-square test for categorical variables and Kruskal-Wallis for continuous variables. Results: During 1993-2019, 1766 OTB cases were reported, representing 1.6% of 109 834 all EPTB cases: 200 (0.5% of 37 167) during 1993-1999, 395 (1.0% of 41 715) during 2000-2009, and 1171 (3.8% of 30 952) during 2010-2019. In contrast to persons with other EPTB, persons with OTB were older (median, 48 vs 44 years; P < .01), more likely to be US-born (35% vs 28%; P < .01), more likely to have diabetes (17% vs 13%; P < .01), and less likely to have HIV (1% vs 8%; P < .01). OTB was less likely to be laboratory confirmed (5% vs 75%; P < .01), but patients were more likely to be tested by interferon gamma release assay (IGRA; 84% vs 56%; P < .01) and to be IGRA positive (96% vs 80%; P < .01). Conclusions: Reported OTB increased during 1993-2019 despite decreasing TB, including EPTB; the largest increase occurred during 2010-2019. OTB was rarely laboratory confirmed and was primarily diagnosed in conjunction with IGRA results. More research is needed to understand the epidemiology of OTB to inform clinical and diagnostic practices.

Tuberculosis in Ukrainian War Refugees and Migrants in the Czech Republic and Slovakia: A Molecular Epidemiological Study.

BACKGROUND: The war in Ukraine has led to significant migration to neighboring countries, raising public health concerns. Notable tuberculosis (TB) incidence rates in Ukraine emphasize the immediate requirement to prioritize approaches that interrupt the spread and prevent new infections. METHODS: We conducted a prospective genomic surveillance study to assess migration's impact on TB epidemiology in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from Ukrainian war refugees and migrants, collected from September 2021 to December 2022 were analyzed alongside 1574 isolates obtained from Ukraine, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. RESULTS: Our study revealed alarming results, with historically the highest number of Ukrainian tuberculosis patients detected in the host countries. The increasing number of cases of multidrug-resistant TB, significantly linked with Beijing lineage 2.2.1 (p < 0.0001), also presents substantial obstacles to control endeavors. The genomic analysis identified the three highly related genomic clusters, indicating the recent TB transmission among migrant populations. The largest clusters comprised war refugees diagnosed in the Czech Republic, TB patients from various regions of Ukraine, and incarcerated individuals diagnosed with pulmonary TB specialized facility in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine, pointing to a national transmission sequence that has persisted for over 14 years. CONCLUSIONS: The data showed that most infections were likely the result of reactivation of latent disease or exposure to TB before migration rather than recent transmission occurring within the host country. However, close monitoring, appropriate treatment, careful surveillance, and social support are crucial in mitigating future risks, though there is currently no evidence of local transmission in EU countries.

Self-reported Engagement in Care among U.S. Residents with Latent Tuberculosis Infection: 2011-2012.

Rationale: A central strategy of tuberculosis (TB) control in the United States is reducing the burden of latent TB infection (LTBI) through targeted testing and treatment of persons with untreated LTBI. Objectives: The objective of the study was to provide estimates of and risk factors for engagement in LTBI care in the overall U.S. population and among specific risk groups. Methods: We used nationally representative data from 7,080 participants in the 2011-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Engagement in LTBI care was assessed by estimating the proportion with a history of testing, diagnosis, treatment initiation, and treatment completion. Weighted methods were used to account for the complex survey design and to derive national estimates. Results: Only 1.4 million (10%) of an estimated 14.0 million individuals with an LTBI had previously completed treatment. Of the 12.6 million who did not complete LTBI treatment, 3.7 million (29%) had never been tested and 7.2 million (57%) received testing but had no history of diagnosis. High-risk groups showed low levels of engagement, including contacts of individuals with TB and persons born outside the United States. Conclusions: There is a reservoir of more than 12 million individuals in the United States who may be at risk for progression to TB disease and potential transmission. TB control programs and community providers should consider focused efforts to increase testing, diagnosis, and treatment for LTBI.

Mutation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Implications for Using Whole-Genome Sequencing for Investigating Recent Tuberculosis Transmission.

Tuberculosis (TB) control programs use whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) for detecting and investigating TB case clusters. Existence of few genomic differences between Mtb isolates might indicate TB cases are the result of recent transmission. However, the variable and sometimes long duration of latent infection, combined with uncertainty in the Mtb mutation rate during latency, can complicate interpretation of WGS results. To estimate the association between infection duration and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) accumulation in the Mtb genome, we first analyzed pairwise SNP differences among TB cases from Los Angeles County, California, with strong epidemiologic links. We found that SNP distance alone was insufficient for concluding that cases are linked through recent transmission. Second, we describe a well-characterized cluster of TB cases in California to illustrate the role of genomic data in conclusions regarding recent transmission. Longer presumed latent periods were inconsistently associated with larger SNP differences. Our analyses suggest that WGS alone cannot be used to definitively determine that a case is attributable to recent transmission. Methods for integrating clinical, epidemiologic, and genomic data can guide conclusions regarding the likelihood of recent transmission, providing local public health practitioners with better tools for monitoring and investigating TB transmission.

The potential impact of the COVID-19 response related lockdown on TB incidence and mortality in India.

India has the highest burden of incident tuberculosis (TB) cases and deaths globally. TB is strongly associated with poverty and this risk is largely mediated by undernutrition in India. COVID-19 response related lockdown has resulted in an economic crisis which may double levels of poverty, has exacerbated food insecurity, and disrupted TB services. These developments may have serious implications for TB progression and transmission in India. The nutritional status of a population is a strong determinant of the TB incidence, and undernutrition in adults alone accounts for 32-44% of TB incidence in India. A systematic review has shown that a 14% increase in TB incidence can occur per one unit decrease in body mass index (BMI), across the BMI range of 18.5-30 kg/m2. We believe that one unit decrease in BMI (corresponding to a 2-3 kg weight loss) may result in the poor in India as a result of the lockdown and its aftermath. This may result in an increase in estimated (uncertainty interval) incident TB by 185 610 (180 230, 190 990) cases. A 59% reduction in TB case detection between end March and May 2020, may result in an estimated (uncertainty interval) additional 87 711 (59 998, 120 630) TB deaths [19.5% increase (14.5, 24.7)] in 2020. Disadvantaged social groups and those living in states with higher levels of poverty, under-nutrition,and migrant workers are at particular risk. We suggest enhanced rations including pulses through the public distribution system and direct cash transfers to the poor pending restoration of livelihoods. TB services should be resumed immediately with enhanced efforts at case detection including active case finding. To prevent deaths among TB detected within the national TB programme, systemic identification, referral and management of severe disease at notification should be considered.

Population Attributable Risk of Tuberculosis Vulnerabilities in Kerala, India.

BACKGROUND: A robust disaggregated understanding of the determinants of tuberculosis (TB) in each local setting is essential for effective health system and policy action to control TB. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to identify population attributable risk (PAR) for TB disease based on the locally available evidences for Kerala, India. METHODS: Systematic review was done for risk factors of TB in the state. The second set of searches was done to understand the prevalence of the identified risk factors in general population in Kerala. With all available studies and reports, an expert group consensus was made to finalize state-specific prevalence of risk factors. Population attributable fractions were calculated for identified risk factors. RESULTS: PAR for TB disease in Kerala obtained was 24% for undernutrition, 15% for diabetes, 15% for tobacco use, and 1% for HIV. CONCLUSION: Kerala state's PAR for TB was comparatively lower for HIV but higher for diabetes mellitus. Similar exercises for summarizing population risk factors need to happen at all states for making plans to effectively combat TB.

Investigation of a rapidly spreading tuberculosis outbreak using whole-genome sequencing.

This paper describes the application of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to investigate an outbreak of Mycobacterium tuberculosis occurring in Aragon, Spain, where strains have been submitted to genotyping since 2004. The responsible outbreak strain appeared in our region first in 2014 and it spread to 14 patients in the following three years. WGS found low variability between the isolates with none of the SNPs differences detected more than once, all of which were attributed to a recent transmission. Although two ambiguous bases linked two cases with those who presented the SNP in the same position, the establishment of a definitive transmission route was not possible. The epidemiological data supported the existence of a super-spreader, probably responsible for the majority of the cases involved since there was a two-year delay in diagnoses among cases. This fact would also help explaining the low variability found. The index case was not identified, possibly because it was not diagnosed in Aragon. In addition WGS characterised the strain as a Linage 4.3.3/LAM family and corroborated the susceptibility to anti-tuberculosis drugs observed by the clinical laboratories. This work shows the need to have epidemiological data to support the genomic data in order to clarify the evolution of tuberculosis outbreaks.

Incidence of tuberculosis in patients receiving anti-TNF therapy for rheumatic diseases: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: The TNF inhibitors were the first immunobiologicals used to treat rheumatic diseases, but their use is associated with an increased risk of tuberculosis. The primary objective is to estimate the incidence of tuberculosis in patients with rheumatic diseases exposed to anti-TNF therapy. The secondary objectives are to evaluate the incidence of tuberculosis by region and subgroups of diseases, to review the presentation of tuberculosis in these patients, and to assess the time elapsed between onset of anti-TNF therapy and development of active granulomatous disease. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was conducted in MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, and LILACS. The primary endpoint was described as incidence and secondary outcomes, through subgroup analyses and comparisons of means. RESULTS: We included 52 observational studies. Among the exposed patients, 947 cases of tuberculosis were documented (62.2% pulmonary), with a cumulative incidence of 9.62 cases per 1000 patients exposed. TB incidence across different continents was distributed as follows: South America, 11.75 cases/1000 patients exposed; North America, 4.34 cases/1000 patients exposed; Europe, 6.28 cases/1000 patients exposed; and Asia, 13.47 cases/1000 patients exposed. There were no significant differences in TB incidence among the described diseases. The mean time elapsed from start of anti-TNF therapy until the endpoint was 18.05 months. CONCLUSION: The incidence of TB in patients with rheumatic diseases exposed TNF inhibitor considering all countries was 9.62 cases per 1000 patients exposed. TB incidence was higher in South America and Asia compared with North America and Europe. Most cases occurred in the first XX months of use, and the pulmonary form predominated.Key Points• Higher incidence of tuberculosis in patients exposed to anti-TNF compared with the general population.• Higher incidence of TB in countries of South America and Asia compared with North America and Europe.

Spatial Cluster Analysis Of New And Relapsed Cases Of Pulmonary Tuberculosis By District: Pakistan 2015.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health problem in Pakistan. There are no studies in Pakistan on TB disease mapping and spatial analysis at the country level. This study was conducted to map and identify clusters of TB incidence rates at the district level for all provinces of Pakistan, including Islamabad for all new and relapsed cases of pulmonary TB, for the year 2015. The district level TB rate for new and relapsed cases ranged from 4.7 to 422.6 per 100,000. Global Moran's I was 0.25238, with a pseudo pvalue of 0.001, indicating clustering in the data. Local Moran's I, i.e., Local indicators of Spatial Association identified 11 districts as high-high clusters, and 20 districts as low-low clusters. Better understanding of these hot and cold spot districts would be helped by the availability and analysis of TB data at the more granular level of Union Councils in the country.

Impact of Advocacy, Communication, Social Mobilization and Active Case Finding on TB Notification in Jharkhand, India.

Community-level benefits of screening for active tuberculosis (TB) disease remain uncertain. Project Axshya (meaning free of TB) conducted advocacy, communication, social mobilization, and active case finding among vulnerable/marginalized populations of India. Among 15 districts of Jharkhand state, the project was initiated in 36 subdistrict level administrative units - tuberculosis units (TUs) in a staggered manner between April 2013 and September 2014, and continued till the end of 2015. Seven TUs did not implement the project. We assessed the relative change in the quarterly TB case finding indicators (n = 4) after inclusion of a TU within the project. By fitting four multilevel models (mixed-effects maximum likelihood regression using random intercept), we adjusted for secular (over previous five quarters) and seasonal trends, baseline differences within Axshya and non-Axshya TUs, and population size and clustering within districts and within TUs. After inclusion of a TU within the project, we found a significant increase [95% confidence interval (CI)] in TU-level presumptive TB sputum examination rate, new sputum-positive TB Case Notification Rate (CNR), sputum-positive TB CNR, and all forms TB CNR by 12 (5.5, 18.5), 1.1 (0.5, 1.7), 1.3 (0.6, 2.0), and 1.2 (0.1, 2.2) per 100,000 population per quarter, respectively. Overall, the project resulted in an increase (95% CI) in sputum examination and detection of new sputum-positive TB, sputum-positive TB and all forms of TB patients by 22,410 (10,203, 34,077), 2066 (923, 3210), 2380 (1162, 3616), and 2122 (203, 4059), respectively. This provides evidence for implementing project Axshya over and above the existing passive case finding.

Profil épidémiologique et mortalité due à la tuberculose dans la zone de Santé de Kamina, Province du Haut-Lomami, en Démocratique du Congo / Epidemiological profile and deaths related to TB disease in the Kamina´s Health Zone, Haut-Lomami Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Introduction: Était de décrire le profil épidémiologique, clinique et évolutif des patients tuberculeux suivis dans le milieu urbano-rural de Kaminaen République Démocratique du Congo (RDC). Méthodes: il s´agit d´une étude transversale par analyse rétrospective de dossiers des patients suivis pour tuberculose sur une période allant du 1er Janvier 2018 au 31 Décembre 2021. Résultats: sur un total de 612 échantillons analysés, 216 cas de tuberculose ont été confirmés par le laboratoire, soit une fréquence de 35,3 %. Notre échantillon était constitué de 138 hommes et 78 femmes, soit un sex-ratio de 1,77. L´âge moyen était de 35,37±18,14 années. La majorité des patients était dans la tranche d´âge comprise entre 21-40 ans. La profession libérale représentait 94,4 % de notre effectif, soit 204 patients. Il y a eu 63,4% des patients souffraient d´une tuberculose pulmonaire dont 70,9 % était guéris. La sérologie VIH était positive chez 6 patients, soit un taux de séroprévalence VIH de 2,77 %. Au total, 27 malades sont décédés sur les 612, soit un taux de mortalité de 4,41 %. C´est la tranche d´âge de malades ages de plus de 60 ans qui a connu une mortalitéélévée, soit 5 cas sur 20 (25 %), suivie de celle des malades ages de moins de 20 ans, 11 cas sur 49 (22,4 %). D´autre part, le résultat a montré un taux de mortalité plus élévé chez les tuberculeux séropositif, 33,3 %, contre 11.9 % chez les séronégatifs. Conclusion: ce rapport montre un taux élevé de tuberculose dans la zone de santé de Kamina ; il confirme le fait que la TB est endémique dans la région. Il est nécessaire d'améliorer les conditions de vie de la population et le système de santé local en ce qui concerne la prévention et la gestion de la TB afin de réduire sa morbi-mortalité.

Introduction: the purpose of this study was to describe the epidemiological, clinical and evolutionary profile of patients with tuberculosis followed in the urban-rural area of Kamina, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional study based on a retrospective analysis of the medical records of patients followed for tuberculosis over the period January 1, 2018 -December 31, 2021. Results: out of 612 samples analysed, 216 cases had received lab confirmation of tuberculosis, reflecting a rate of 35.3%. Our sample consisted of 78 women and 138 men (sex ratio 1.77). The average age of patients was 35,37±18.14 years. The majority of patients were in the age range 21-40 years. Self-employed people accounted for 94.4% of our workforce (204 patients); 63.4% of patients suffered from pulmonary tuberculosis, 70.9% of whom were cured. Serology test for HIV was positive in 6 patients (i.e. an HIV seroprevalence rate of 2.77%). In total, 27 patients out of 612 died, (i.e. a mortality rate of 4.41%). Patients aged over 60 had higher mortality rates (5 out of 20 cases; 25%), followed by patients under 20 (11 out of 49 cases; 22.4%). On the other hand, our results showed a higher mortality rate among HIV-positive patients with tuberculosis (33.3%, compared to 11.9% among HIV-negative patients). Conclusion: this study shows a high rate of tuberculosis in the Kamina health zone, confirming the fact that TB is endemic in the region. There is a need to improve the living conditions of the population and the local health system with regard to the prevention and management of TB in order to reduce morbidity and mortality