The second national anti-tuberculosis drug resistance survey in Tanzania, 2017-2018.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the levels and patterns of resistance to first- and second-line anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs among new and previously treated sputum smear positive pulmonary TB (PTB) patients. METHODS: We conducted a nationally representative cross-sectional facility-based survey in June 2017-July 2018 involving 45 clusters selected based on probability proportional to size. The survey aimed to determine the prevalence of anti-TB drug resistance and associated risk factors among smear positive PTB patients in Tanzania. Sputum samples were examined using smear microscopy, Xpert MTB/RIF, culture and drug susceptibility testing (DST). Logistic regression was used to account for missing data and sampling design effects on the estimates and their standard errors. RESULTS: We enrolled 1557 TB patients, including 1408 (90.4%) newly diagnosed and 149 (9.6%) previously treated patients. The prevalence of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) was 0.85% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.4-1.3] among new cases and 4.6% (95% CI: 1.1-8.2) among previously treated cases. The prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains resistant to any of the four first-line anti-TB drugs (isoniazid, rifampicin, streptomycin and ethambutol) was 1.7% among new TB patients and 6.5% among those previously treated. Drug resistance to all first-line drugs was similar (0.1%) in new and previously treated patients. None of the isolates displayed poly-resistance or extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB). The only risk factor for MDR-TB was history of previous TB treatment (odds ratio = 5.7, 95% CI: 1.9-17.2). CONCLUSION: The burden of MDR-TB in the country was relatively low with no evidence of XDR-TB. Given the overall small number of MDR-TB cases in this survey, it will be beneficial focusing efforts on intensified case detection including universal DST.

Economic burden of tuberculosis in Tanzania: a national survey of costs faced by tuberculosis-affected households.

BACKGROUND: Although tuberculosis (TB) care is free in Tanzania, TB-associated costs may compromise access to services and treatment adherence resulting in poor outcomes and increased risk of transmission in the community. TB can impact economically patients and their households. We assessed the economic burden of TB on patients and their households in Tanzania and identified cost drivers to inform policies and programs for potential interventions to mitigate costs. METHODS: We conducted a nationally representative cross-sectional survey using a standard methodology recommended by World Health Organization. TB patients of all ages and with all types of TB from 30 clusters across Tanzania were interviewed during July - September 2019. We used the human capital approach to assess the indirect costs and a threshold of 20% of the household annual expenditure to determine the proportion of TB-affected households experiencing catastrophic cost. We descriptively analyzed the cost data and fitted multivariable logistic regression models to identify potential predictors of catastrophic costs. RESULTS: Of the 777 TB-affected households, 44.9% faced catastrophic costs due to TB. This proportion was higher (80.0%) among households of patients with multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB). Overall, cost was driven by income loss while accessing TB services (33.7%), nutritional supplements (32.6%), and medical costs (15.1%). Most income loss was associated with hospitalization and time for picking up TB drugs. Most TB patients (85.9%) reported worsening financial situations due to TB, and over fifty percent (53.0%) borrowed money or sold assets to finance TB treatment. In multivariable analysis, the factors associated with catastrophic costs included hospitalization (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 34.9; 95% confidence interval (CI):12.5-146.17), living in semi-urban (aOR = 1.6; 95% CI:1.0-2.5) or rural areas (aOR = 2.6; 95% CI:1.8-3.7), having MDR-TB (aOR = 3.4; 95% CI:1.2-10.9), and facility-based directly-observed treatment (DOT) (aOR = 7.2; 95% CI:2.4-26.6). CONCLUSION: We found that the cost of TB care is catastrophic for almost half of the TB-affected households in Tanzania; our findings support the results from other surveys recently conducted in sub-Saharan Africa. Collaborative efforts across health, employment and social welfare sectors are imperative to minimize household costs due to TB disease and improve access to care, patient adherence and outcomes.

Implementing tuberculosis patient cost surveys in resource-constrained settings: lessons from Tanzania.

Tuberculosis (TB) disproportionally affects persons and families who are economically and socially disadvantaged. Therefore, a patient cost survey was conducted in Tanzania to evaluate the costs incurred by patients and their households before and after the diagnosis of TB. It was the first survey in Tanzania to ascertain baseline information and experience for subsequent surveys. This paper aims to share the experience encountered during the survey to ensure a standardized approach and elimination of potential barriers for the implementation of future surveys. A total of 777 TB patients from 30 clusters selected based on probability proportional to the size were interviewed during the study period. As the sample size was calculated based on notification data from the previous year, some health facilities experienced an inadequate number of TB patients during the study to meet the allocated cluster size for the survey. Most facilities had poor recording and recordkeeping in TB registers where deaths were not registered, and some patients had not been assigned district identification numbers. Fixed days for TB drug refills in health facilities affected the routine implementation of the survey as the interviews were conducted when patients visited the facility to pick up the drugs. Tablets used to collect data failed to capture the geographic location in some areas. The households of TB patients lost to follow-up and those who had died during TB treatment were not included in the survey. When planning and preparing for patient costs surveys, it is important to consider unforeseen factors which may affect planned activities and findings. During the survey in Tanzania, the identified challenges included survey logistics, communications, patient enrollment, and data management issues. To improve the quality of the findings of future surveys, it may be reasonable to revise survey procedures to include households of TB patients who were lost to follow-up and those who died during TB treatment; the households of such patients may have incurred higher direct and indirect costs than households whose patient was cured as a result of receiving TB treatment.

Isoniazid and Rifampin-Resistance Mutations Associated With Resistance to Second-Line Drugs and With Sputum Culture Conversion.

BACKGROUND: Mutations in the genes inhA, katG, and rpoB confer resistance to anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs isoniazid and rifampin. We questioned whether specific mutations in these genes were associated with different clinical and microbiological characteristics. METHODS: In a multicountry prospective cohort study of multidrug-resistant TB, we identified inhA, katG, and rpoB mutations in sputum isolates using the Hain MTBDRplus line probe assay. For specific mutations, we performed bivariate analysis to determine relative risk of baseline or acquired resistance to other TB drugs. We compared time to sputum culture conversion (TSCC) using Kaplan-Meier curves and stratified Cox regression. RESULTS: In total, 447 participants enrolled from January 2005 to December 2008 from 7 countries were included. Relative to rpoB S531L, isolates with rpoB D516V had less cross-resistance to rifabutin, increased baseline resistance to other drugs, and increased acquired fluoroquinolone resistance. Relative to mutation of katG only, mutation of inhA promoter and katG was associated with baseline extensively drug resistant (XDR) TB, increased acquired fluoroquinolone resistance, and slower TSCC (125.5 vs 89.0 days). CONCLUSIONS: Specific mutations in inhA and katG are associated with differences in resistance to other drugs and TSCC. Molecular testing may make it possible to tailor treatment and assess additional drug resistance risk according to specific mutation profile.

Impact of GeneXpert MTB/RIF® on treatment initiation and outcomes of RIF-resistant and RIF-susceptible TB patients in Vladimir TB dispensary, Russia.

BACKGROUND: The main advantage of GeneXpert MTB/RIF® (Xpert) molecular diagnostic technology is the rapid detection of M.tuberculosis DNA and mutations associated with rifampicin (RIF) resistance for timely initiation of appropriate treatment and, consequently, preventing further transmission of the disease. We assessed time to treatment initiation and treatment outcomes of RIF-resistant and RIF-susceptible TB patients diagnosed and treated in Vladimir TB Dispensary, Russia in 2012, before and after implementation of GeneXpert MTB/RIF® diagnostic technology. METHODS: All adult patients suspected of having TB during February-December 2012 underwent a clinical examination, chest x-ray, microscopy, culture, and phenotypic drug susceptibility testing (DST). Starting August 2012 Xpert diagnostic technology became available in the facility. We used logistic regression to compare treatment outcomes in pre-Xpert and post-Xpert periods. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank test were used to compare the time to treatment initiation between the groups. RESULTS: Of 402 patients screened for TB during February-December 2012, 338 were diagnosed with TB (280 RIF-susceptible, 58 RIF-resistant). RIF-resistant patients in the post-Xpert group started treatment with second-line drugs (SLD) earlier than those in pre-Xpert group (median 11 vs. 37 days, Log-rank p = 0.02). The hazard ratio for time to SLD treatment initiation was significantly higher in post-Xpert group (HR:2.06; 95%CI:1.09,3.89) compared to pre-Xpert group. Among the 53/58 RIF-resistant TB patients with available treatment outcome, 28 (53%) had successful outcomes (cured/completed treatment) including 15/26 (58%) in post-Xpert group versus 13/27 (48%) in pre-Xpert group. The observed difference, however, was not statistically significant (OR:0.69; 95%CI:0.23,2.06). Among RIF-susceptible TB cases time to treatment initiation was not significantly different between the groups (2 vs. 3 days, Log-rank p = 0.73). Of 252/280 RIF-susceptible TB cases with treatment outcome, 199 (79%) cases had successful outcome including 94/114 (82%) in post-Xpert group versus 105/138 (76%) in pre-Xpert group (OR:0.68; 95%CI:0.36,1.26). CONCLUSION: We observed that availability of Xpert for initial diagnosis significantly reduced the time to SLD treatment for RIF-resistant patients in the Vladimir TB Dispensary. Although implementation of rapid diagnostics did not improve treatment outcomes, early diagnosis of MDR-TB is important for selection of appropriate treatment regimen and prevention of transmission of drug-resistant strains of TB.

Comparison of Sputum-Culture Conversion for Mycobacterium bovis and M. tuberculosis.

Current US guidelines recommend longer treatment for tuberculosis (TB) caused by pyrazinamide-resistant organisms (e.g., Mycobacterium bovis) than for M. tuberculosis TB. We compared treatment response times for patients with M. bovis TB and M. tuberculosis TB reported in the United States during 2006-2013. We included culture-positive, pulmonary TB patients with genotyping results who received standard 4-drug treatment at the time of diagnosis. Time to sputum-culture conversion was defined as time between treatment start date and date of first consistently culture-negative sputum. We analyzed 297 case-patients with M. bovis TB and 30,848 case-patients with M. tuberculosis TB. After 2 months of treatment, 71% of M. bovis and 65% of M. tuberculosis TB patients showed conversion of sputum cultures to negative. Likelihood of culture conversion was higher for M. bovis than for M. tuberculosis, even after controlling for treatment administration type, sex, and a composite indicator of bacillary burden.

Susceptibilities of MDR Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates to unconventional drugs compared with their reported pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic parameters.

Background: The second-line drugs recommended to treat drug-resistant TB are toxic, expensive and difficult to procure. Given increasing resistance, the need for additional anti-TB drugs has become more urgent. But new drugs take time to develop and are expensive. Some commercially available drugs have reported anti-mycobacterial activity but are not routinely used because supporting laboratory and clinical evidence is sparse. Methods: We analysed 217 MDR M. tuberculosis isolates including 153 initial isolates from unique patients and 64 isolates from follow-up specimens during the course of treatment. The resazurin microdilution assay was performed to determine MICs of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, mefloquine, thioridazine, clofazimine, amoxicillin/clavulanate, meropenem/clavulanate, nitazoxanide, linezolid and oxyphenbutazone. Isoniazid was used for validation. We calculated the MIC 50 and MIC 90 as the MICs at which growth of 50% and 90% of isolates was inhibited, respectively. Results: The MIC 50 s, in mg/L, for initial isolates were as follows: trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, 0.2/4; mefloquine, 8; thioridazine, 4; clofazimine, 0.25; amoxicillin/clavulanate, 16/8; meropenem/clavulanate, 1/2.5; nitazoxanide, 16; linezolid, 0.25; and oxyphenbutazone, 40. The MIC 90 s, in mg/L, for initial isolates were as follows: trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, 0.4/8; mefloquine, 8; thioridazine, 8; clofazimine, 0.5; amoxicillin/clavulanate, 32/16; meropenem/clavulanate, 8/2.5; nitazoxanide, 16; linezolid, 0.25; and oxyphenbutazone, 60. By comparison, the MIC 90 of isoniazid was >4 mg/L, as expected. There was no evidence that previous treatment affected susceptibility to any drug. Conclusions: Most drugs demonstrated efficacy against M. tuberculosis . When these MICs are compared with the published pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic profiles of the respective drugs in humans, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, meropenem/clavulanate, linezolid, clofazimine and nitazoxanide appear promising and warrant further clinical investigation.

Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Treatment Outcomes in Relation to Treatment and Initial Versus Acquired Second-Line Drug Resistance.

BACKGROUND: Resistance to second-line drugs develops during treatment of multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis, but the impact on treatment outcome has not been determined. METHODS: Patients with MDR tuberculosis starting second-line drug treatment were enrolled in a prospective cohort study. Sputum cultures were analyzed at a central reference laboratory. We compared subjects with successful and poor treatment outcomes in terms of (1) initial and acquired resistance to fluoroquinolones and second-line injectable drugs (SLIs) and (2) treatment regimens. RESULTS: Of 1244 patients with MDR tuberculosis, 973 (78.2%) had known outcomes and 232 (18.6%) were lost to follow-up. Among those with known outcomes, treatment succeeded in 85.8% with plain MDR tuberculosis, 69.7% with initial resistance to either a fluoroquinolone or an SLI, 37.5% with acquired resistance to a fluoroquinolone or SLI, 29.3% with initial and 13.0% with acquired extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (P < .001 for trend). In contrast, among those with known outcomes, treatment success increased stepwise from 41.6% to 92.3% as the number of drugs proven effective increased from ≤1 to ≥5 (P < .001 for trend), while acquired drug resistance decreased from 12% to 16% range, depending on the drug, down to 0%-2% (P < .001 for trend). In multivariable analysis, the adjusted odds of treatment success decreased 0.62-fold (95% confidence interval, .56-.69) for each increment in drug resistance and increased 2.1-fold (1.40-3.18) for each additional effective drug, controlling for differences between programs and patients. Specific treatment, patient, and program variables were also associated with treatment outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing drug resistance was associated in a logical stepwise manner with poor treatment outcomes. Acquired resistance was worse than initial resistance to the same drugs. Increasing numbers of effective drugs, specific drugs, and specific program characteristics were associated with better outcomes and less acquired resistance.

Evaluation of community-based treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis in Bangladesh.

OBJECTIVE: Drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) threatens global TB control because it is difficult to diagnose and treat. Community-based programmatic management of drug-resistant TB (cPMDT) has made therapy easier for patients, but data on these models are scarce. Bangladesh initiated cPMDT in 2012, and in 2013, we sought to evaluate programme performance. METHODS: In this retrospective review, we abstracted demographic, clinical, microbiologic and treatment outcome data for all patients enrolled in the cPMDT programme over 6 months in three districts of Bangladesh. We interviewed a convenience sample of patients about their experience in the programme. RESULTS: Chart review was performed on 77 patients. Sputum smears and cultures were performed, on average, once every 1.35 and 1.36 months, respectively. Among 74 initially culture-positive patients, 70 (95%) converted their cultures and 69 (93%) patients converted the cultures before the sixth month. Fifty-two (68%) patients had evidence of screening for adverse events. We found written documentation of musculoskeletal complaints for 16 (21%) patients, gastrointestinal adverse events for 16 (21%), hearing loss for eight (10%) and psychiatric events for four (5%) patients; conversely, on interview of 60 patients, 55 (92%) reported musculoskeletal complaints, 54 (90%) reported nausea, 36 (60%) reported hearing loss, and 36 (60%) reported psychiatric disorders. CONCLUSIONS: The cPMDT programme in Bangladesh appears to be programmatically feasible and clinically effective; however, inadequate monitoring of adverse events raises some concern. As the programme is brought to scale nationwide, renewed efforts at monitoring adverse events should be prioritised.

Risk factors for acquisition of drug resistance during multidrug-resistant tuberculosis treatment, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia, 2005-2010.

Acquired resistance to antituberculosis drugs decreases effective treatment options and the likelihood of treatment success. We identified risk factors for acquisition of drug resistance during treatment for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) and evaluated the effect on treatment outcomes. Data were collected prospectively from adults from Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia, who had pulmonary MDR TB during 2005-2008. Acquisition of resistance to capreomycin and of extensively drug-resistant TB were more likely among patients who received <3 effective drugs than among patients who received >3 effective drugs (9.4% vs. 0% and 8.6% vs. 0.8%, respectively). Poor outcomes were more likely among patients with acquired capreomycin resistance (100% vs. 25.9%), acquired ofloxacin resistance (83.6% vs. 22.7%), or acquired extensive drug resistance (100% vs. 24.4%). To prevent acquired drug resistance and poor outcomes, baseline susceptibility to first- and second-line drugs should be determined quickly, and treatment should be adjusted to contain >3 effective drugs.

Epidemiology of Primary Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis, Vladimir Region, Russia.

We studied the epidemiology of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) in Vladimir Region, Russia, in 2012. Most cases of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR TB) were caused by transmission of drug-resistant strains, and >33% were in patients referred for testing after mass radiographic screening. Early diagnosis of drug resistance is essential for preventing transmission of MDR TB.

Additional drug resistance of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in patients in 9 countries.

Data from a large multicenter observational study of patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) were analyzed to simulate the possible use of 2 new approaches to treatment of MDR TB: a short (9-month) regimen and a bedaquiline-containing regimen. Of 1,254 patients, 952 (75.9%) had no resistance to fluoroquinolones and second-line injectable drugs and thus would qualify as candidates for the 9-month regimen; 302 (24.1%) patients with resistance to a fluoroquinolone or second-line injectable drug would qualify as candidates for a bedaquiline-containing regimen in accordance with published guidelines. Among candidates for the 9-month regimen, standardized drug-susceptibility tests demonstrated susceptibility to a median of 5 (interquartile range 5-6) drugs. Among candidates for bedaquiline, drug-susceptibility tests demonstrated susceptibility to a median of 3 (interquartile range 2-4) drugs; 26% retained susceptibility to <2 drugs. These data may assist national TB programs in planning to implement new drugs and drug regimens.

Association between Regimen Composition and Treatment Response in Patients with Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis: A Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: For treating multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB), the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a regimen of at least four second-line drugs that are likely to be effective as well as pyrazinamide. WHO guidelines indicate only marginal benefit for regimens based directly on drug susceptibility testing (DST) results. Recent evidence from isolated cohorts suggests that regimens containing more drugs may be beneficial, and that DST results are predictive of regimen effectiveness. The objective of our study was to gain insight into how regimen design affects treatment response by analyzing the association between time to sputum culture conversion and both the number of potentially effective drugs included in a regimen and the DST results of the drugs in the regimen. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We analyzed data from the Preserving Effective Tuberculosis Treatment Study (PETTS), a prospective observational study of 1,659 adults treated for MDR TB during 2005-2010 in nine countries: Estonia, Latvia, Peru, Philippines, Russian Federation, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand, and Taiwan. For all patients, monthly sputum samples were collected, and DST was performed on baseline isolates at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We included 1,137 patients in our analysis based on their having known baseline DST results for at least fluoroquinolones and second-line injectable drugs, and not having extensively drug-resistant TB. These patients were followed for a median of 20 mo (interquartile range 16-23 mo) after MDR TB treatment initiation. The primary outcome of interest was initial sputum culture conversion. We used Cox proportional hazards regression, stratifying by country to control for setting-associated confounders, and adjusting for the number of drugs to which patients' baseline isolates were resistant, baseline resistance pattern, previous treatment history, sputum smear result, and extent of disease on chest radiograph. In multivariable analysis, receiving an average of at least six potentially effective drugs (defined as drugs without a DST result indicating resistance) per day was associated with a 36% greater likelihood of sputum culture conversion than receiving an average of at least five but fewer than six potentially effective drugs per day (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.36, 95% CI 1.09-1.69). Inclusion of pyrazinamide (aHR 2.00, 95% CI 1.65-2.41) or more drugs to which baseline DST indicated susceptibility (aHR 1.65, 95% CI 1.48-1.84, per drug) in regimens was associated with greater increases in the likelihood of sputum culture conversion than including more drugs to which baseline DST indicated resistance (aHR 1.33, 95% CI 1.18-1.51, per drug). Including in the regimen more drugs for which DST was not performed was beneficial only if a minimum of three effective drugs was present in the regimen (aHR 1.39, 95% CI 1.09-1.76, per drug when three effective drugs present in regimen). The main limitation of this analysis is that it is based on observational data, not a randomized trial, and drug regimens varied across sites. However, PETTS was a uniquely large and rigorous observational study in terms of both the number of patients enrolled and the standardization of laboratory testing. Other limitations include the assumption of equivalent efficacy across drugs in a category, incomplete data on adherence, and the fact that the analysis considers only initial sputum culture conversion, not reversion or long-term relapse. CONCLUSIONS: MDR TB regimens including more potentially effective drugs than the minimum of five currently recommended by WHO may encourage improved response to treatment in patients with MDR TB. Rapid access to high-quality DST results could facilitate the design of more effective individualized regimens. Randomized controlled trials are necessary to confirm whether individualized regimens with more than five drugs can indeed achieve better cure rates than current recommended regimens.

Mortality among tuberculosis patients with acquired resistance to second-line antituberculosis drugs--United States, 1993-2008.

BACKGROUND: Resistance to second-line antituberculosis drugs (SLDs) severely compromises treatment options of drug-resistant tuberculosis. We assessed the association between acquisition of resistance (AR) to second-line injectable drugs (SLIs) or fluoroquinolones (FQs) and mortality among tuberculosis cases confirmed by positive culture results with available initial and final drug susceptibility test (DST) results. METHODS: We analyzed data from the US National Tuberculosis Surveillance System, 1993-2008. Acquired resistance was defined as drug susceptibility at initial DST but resistance to the same drug at final DST. We compared survival with Kaplan-Meier curves and analyzed the association between AR and mortality using a univariate extended Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for age. RESULTS: Of 2329 cases with both initial and final DSTs to SLIs, 49 (2.1%) acquired resistance; 13 of 49 (26.5%) had treatment terminated by death compared with 222 (10.0%) of those without AR to SLIs (P < .001). Of 1187 cases with both initial and final DSTs to FQs, 32 (2.8%) acquired resistance; 12 of 32 (37.5%) had treatment terminated by death compared with 121 (10.9%) of those without AR to FQs (P = .001). Controlling for age, mortality was significantly greater among cases with AR to SLDs than among cases without AR (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] for SLIs: 2.8; 95% confidence interval [CI],1.4-5.4; aHR for FQ: 1.9; 95% CI, 1.0-3.5). Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis at treatment initiation, positive human immunodeficiency virus status, and extrapulmonary disease were also significantly associated with mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality was significantly greater among tuberculosis cases with AR to SLDs. Providers should consider AR to SLDs early in treatment, monitor DST results, and avoid premature deaths.

Extensive drug resistance acquired during treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: Increasing access to drugs for the treatment of multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis is crucial but could lead to increasing resistance to these same drugs. In 2000, the international Green Light Committee (GLC) initiative began to increase access while attempting to prevent acquired resistance. METHODS: To assess the GLC's impact, we followed adults with pulmonary MDR tuberculosis from the start to the end of treatment with monthly sputum cultures, drug susceptibility testing, and genotyping. We compared the frequency and predictors of acquired resistance to second-line drugs (SLDs) in 9 countries that volunteered to participate, 5 countries that met GLC criteria, and 4 countries that did not apply to the GLC. RESULTS: In total, 832 subjects were enrolled. Of those without baseline resistance to specific SLDs, 68 (8.9%) acquired extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis, 79 (11.2%) acquired fluoroquinolone (FQ) resistance, and 56 (7.8%) acquired resistance to second-line injectable drugs (SLIs). The relative risk (95% confidence interval [CI]) of acquired resistance was lower at GLC-approved sites: 0.27 (.16-.47) for XDR tuberculosis, 0.28 (.17-.45) for FQ, and 0.15 (.06-.39) to 0.60 (.34-1.05) for 3 different SLIs. The risk increased as the number of potentially effective drugs decreased. Controlling for baseline drug resistance and differences between sites, the odds ratios (95% CIs) were 0.21 (.07-.62) for acquired XDR tuberculosis and 0.23 (.09-.59) for acquired FQ resistance. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of MDR tuberculosis involves substantial risk of acquired resistance to SLDs, increasing as baseline drug resistance increases. The risk was significantly lower in programs documented by the GLC to meet specific standards.

Tuberculosis preventive treatment uptake among adults living with human immunodeficiency virus: Analysis of Zimbabwe population-based human immunodeficiency virus impact assessment 2020.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis remains the leading cause of death by an infectious disease among people living with HIV (PLHIV). TB Preventive Treatment (TPT) is a cost-effective intervention known to reduce morbidity and mortality. We used data from ZIMPHIA 2020 to assess TPT uptake and factors associated with its use. METHODOLOGY: ZIMPHIA a cross-sectional household survey, estimated HIV treatment outcomes among PLHIV aged ≥15 years. Randomly selected participants provided demographic and clinical information. We applied multivariable logistic regression models using survey weights. Variances were estimated via the Jackknife series to determine factors associated with TPT uptake. RESULTS: The sample of 2419 PLHIV ≥15 years had 65% females, 44% had no primary education, and 29% lived in urban centers. Overall, 38% had ever taken TPT, including 15% currently taking TPT. Controlling for other variables, those screened for TB at last HIV-related visit, those who visited a TB clinic in the previous 12 months, and those who had HIV viral load suppression were more likely to take TPT. CONCLUSION: The findings show suboptimal TPT coverage among PLHIV. There is a need for targeted interventions and policies to address the barriers to TPT uptake, to reduce TB morbidity and mortality among PLHIV.

Prevalence of and risk factors for resistance to second-line drugs in people with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in eight countries: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis is increasing due to the expanded use of second-line drugs in people with multidrug-resistant (MDR) disease. We prospectively assessed resistance to second-line antituberculosis drugs in eight countries. METHODS: From Jan 1, 2005, to Dec 31, 2008, we enrolled consecutive adults with locally confirmed pulmonary MDR tuberculosis at the start of second-line treatment in Estonia, Latvia, Peru, Philippines, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, and Thailand. Drug-susceptibility testing for study purposes was done centrally at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for 11 first-line and second-line drugs. We compared the results with clinical and epidemiological data to identify risk factors for resistance to second-line drugs and XDR tuberculosis. FINDINGS: Among 1278 patients, 43·7% showed resistance to at least one second-line drug, 20·0% to at least one second-line injectable drug, and 12·9% to at least one fluoroquinolone. 6·7% of patients had XDR tuberculosis (range across study sites 0·8-15·2%). Previous treatment with second-line drugs was consistently the strongest risk factor for resistance to these drugs, which increased the risk of XDR tuberculosis by more than four times. Fluoroquinolone resistance and XDR tuberculosis were more frequent in women than in men. Unemployment, alcohol abuse, and smoking were associated with resistance to second-line injectable drugs across countries. Other risk factors differed between drugs and countries. INTERPRETATION: Previous treatment with second-line drugs is a strong, consistent risk factor for resistance to these drugs, including XDR tuberculosis. Representative drug-susceptibility results could guide in-country policies for laboratory capacity and diagnostic strategies. FUNDING: US Agency for International Development, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare.

The economic burden of households affected by tuberculosis in Brazil: First national survey results, 2019-2021.

BACKGROUND: One of the three main targets of the World Health Organization (WHO) End TB Strategy (2015-2035) is that no tuberculosis (TB) patients or their households face catastrophic costs (defined as exceeding 20% of the annual household income) because of the disease. Our study seeks to determine, as a baseline, the magnitude and main drivers of the costs associated with TB disease for patients and their households and to monitor the proportion of households experiencing catastrophic costs in Brazil. METHODS: A national cross-sectional cluster-based survey was conducted in Brazil in 2019-2021 following WHO methodology. TB patients of all ages and types of TB were eligible for the survey. Adult TB patients and guardians of minors (<18 years old) were interviewed once about costs, time loss, coping measures, income, household expenses, and asset ownership. Total costs, including indirect costs measured as reported household income change, were expressed as a percentage of annual household income. We used descriptive statistics to analyze the cost drivers and multivariate logistic regression to determine factors associated with catastrophic costs. RESULTS: We interviewed 603 patients, including 538 (89%) with drug-sensitive (DS) and 65 (11%) with drug-resistant (DR) TB. Of 603 affected households, 48.1% (95%CI: 43-53.2) experienced costs above 20% of their annual household income during their TB episode. The proportion was 44.4% and 78.5% among patients with DS- and DR-TB, respectively. On average, patients incurred costs of US$1573 (95%CI: 1361.8-1785.0) per TB episode, including pre-diagnosis and post-diagnosis expenses. Key cost drivers were post-diagnosis nutritional supplements (US$317.6, 95%CI: 232.7-402.6) followed by medical costs (US$85.5, 95%CI: 54.3-116.5) and costs of travel for clinic visits during treatment (US$79.2, 95%CI: 61.9-96.5). In multivariate analysis, predictors of catastrophic costs included positive HIV status (aOR = 3.0, 95%CI:1.1-8.6) and self-employment (aOR = 2.7, 95%CI:1.1-6.5); high education was a protective factor (aOR = 0.1, 95%CI:0.0-0.9). CONCLUSIONS: Although the services offered to patients with TB are free of charge in the Brazilian public health sector, the availability of free diagnosis and treatment services does not alleviate patients' financial burden related to accessing TB care. The study allowed us to identify the costs incurred by patients and suggest actions to mitigate their suffering. In addition, this study established a baseline for monitoring catastrophic costs and fostering a national policy to reduce the costs to patients for TB care in Brazil.

Acquired resistance to second-line drugs among persons with tuberculosis in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Acquired resistance to second-line drugs (SLDs) is a problem in treating patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis worldwide. The objectives of this study were to identify risk factors for acquired resistance (AR) to injectable SLDs (INJ SLDs) and fluoroquinolones in the US National tuberculosis Surveillance System, 1993-2008. METHODS: We selected cases for which the initial and final drug susceptibility test (DST) results had been reported. We defined AR as resistance at the final DST but susceptibility to the same drug at the initial DST. We analyzed AR using 2-way frequency tables and multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: The baseline prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis was 12.6% (1864/14 770) and 0.38% (56/14 770), respectively. Of 2274 individuals without initial resistance to INJ SLDs, 49 (2.2%) acquired resistance. Of 1141 initially susceptible to fluoroquinolones, 32 (2.8%) acquired resistance. The AR to INJ SLDs was associated with age group 25-44 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-6.3), positive HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) status (aOR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.3-4.7), MDR at treatment initiation (aOR, 5.5; 95% CI, 2.9-10.5), and treatment with any SLD (aOR, 2.4; 95% CI,1.2-4.7). The AR to fluoroquinolones was associated with MDR tuberculosis at treatment initiation (aOR, 6.5; 95% CI, 2.9-14.6). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with initial and final DST reported, the risk factors for AR to INJ SLDs included age, positive HIV status, MDR tuberculosis and initial treatment with any SLD, while the only predictor for AR to fluoroquinolones was MDR tuberculosis at treatment initiation. Providers should consider monitoring SLD DST for MDR tuberculosis patients in the indicated subgroups.

Pre-treatment loss to follow-up among children with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in South Africa, 2008-2010.

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB is more difficult to diagnose and treat compared with drug-susceptible TB. Young children are at greater risk of severe TB disease and death when treatment is delayed compared to adults. We sought to describe characteristics of children (<13 years) diagnosed with MDR TB between 2008-2010 in three South African provinces and assess factors associated with pre-treatment loss to follow-up. We matched laboratory and medical records at treatment facilities to identify pre-treatment loss and examined demographic and clinical characteristics for association with loss. Categorical variables were examined for association using Pearson's x2 or Fisher's exact test, employing Bonferroni correction for multiple pairwise comparisons. Between 2008-2010, 156 children were diagnosed with laboratory-confirmed MDR TB. Only 44% (n = 69) were documented as having received treatment. Young children (<2 years) (47/59, 80%), children with extrapulmonary (EP) TB (27/34, 79%), and children diagnosed at general hospitals (60/97, 62%) were most likely to be lost before treatment. Children most vulnerable to death from TB are most likely to be lost before treatment, possibly leading to underestimates of disease burden, case notifications, and poor outcomes among this population. Point-of-care diagnosis and robust follow-up may reduce pre-treatment loss in this population.