160 research outputs found

    Surveillance of anti-tuberculosis drug resistance in the world: an updated analysis, 2007-2010

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    Objective To present a global update of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) and explore trends in 1994-2010. Methods Data on drug resistance among new and previously treated TB patients, as reported by countries to the World Health Organization, were analysed. Such data are collected through surveys of a representative sample of TB patients or surveillance systems based on routine drug susceptibility testing. Associations between multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and sex were explored through logistic regression. Findings In 2007-2010, 80 countries and 8 territories reported surveillance data. MDR-TB among new and previously treated cases was highest in the Russian Federation (Murmansk oblast, 28.9%) and the Republic of Moldova (65.1%), respectively. In three former Soviet Union countries and South Africa, more than 10% of the cases of MDR-TB were extensively drug-resistant. Globally, in 1994 to 2010 multidrug resistance was observed in 3.4% (95% confidence interval, Cl: 1.9-5.0) of all new TB case's and in 19.8% (95% Cl: 14.4-25.1) of previously treated TB cases. No overall associations between MDR-TB and HIV infection (odds ratio, OR: 1.4; 95% Cl: 0.7-3.0) or sex (OR: 1.1; 95% Cl: 0.8-1.4) were found. Between 1994 and 2010, MDR-TB rates in the general population increased in Botswana, Peru, the Republic of Korea and declined in Estonia, Latvia and the United States of America. Conclusion The highest global rates of MDR-TB ever reported were documented in 2009 and 2010. Trends in MDR-TB are still unclear in most settings. Better surveillance or survey data are required, especially from Africa and India

    Global Tuberculosis Report 2015

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    This global TB report was produced by a core team of 19 people: Laura Anderson, Anna Dean, Dennis Falzon, Katherine Floyd, Inés Garcia Baena, Christopher Gilpin, Philippe Glaziou, Yohhei Hamada, Tom Hiatt, Avinash Kanchar, Irwin Law, Christian Lienhardt, Linh Nguyen, Andrew Siroka, Charalambos Sismanidis, Lana Syed, Hazim Timimi, Wayne van Gemert and Matteo Zignol. The team was led by Katherine Floyd. Overall guidance was provided by the Director of the Global TB Programme, Mario Raviglione. The data collection forms (long and short versions) were developed by Philippe Glaziou and Hazim Timimi, with input from staff throughout the WHO Global TB Programme. Hazim Timimi led and organized all aspects of data management. The review and follow-up of data was done by a team of reviewers that included Laura Anderson, Annemieke Brands, Andrea Braza, Dennis Falzon, Inés Garcia Baena, Giuliano Gargioni, Medea Gegia, Yohhei Hamada, Avinash Kanchar, Soleil Labelle, Irwin Law, Fuad Mirzayev, Linh Nguyen, Andrew Siroka, Lana Syed, Hazim Timimi, Mukund Uplekar, Wayne van Gemert and Matteo Zignol at WHO headquarters; Tom Hiatt from the Western Pacific Regional Office; Anna Scardigli, Yamil Silva Cabrera, Ezra Tessera, Eliud Wandwalo and Mohammed Yassin from the Global Fund; and Andrea Pantoja (consultant)

    Use of whole genome sequencing in surveillance of drug resistant tuberculosis.

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    The threat of resistance to anti-tuberculosis drugs is of global concern. Current efforts to monitor resistance rely on phenotypic testing where cultured bacteria are exposed to critical concentrations of the drugs. Capacity for such testing is low in TB endemic countries. Drug resistance is caused by mutations in the Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome and whole genome sequencing to detect these mutations offers an alternative means of assessing resistance. Areas covered: The challenges of assessing TB drug resistance are discussed. Progress in elucidating the M. tuberculosis resistome and evidence of the accuracy of next generation sequencing for detecting resistance is reviewed. Expert Commentary: There are considerable advantages to using next generation sequencing for TB drug resistance surveillance. Accuracy is high for detecting resistance to the major first-line drugs but is currently lower for the second-line drugs due to our incomplete knowledge regarding resistance causing mutations. With the advances in sequencing technology and the opportunity to replace phenotypic drug susceptibility testing with safer and more cost effective methods it would appear that the question is when to implement. Current bottlenecks are sample extraction to allow whole genome sequencing directly from sputum and the lack of bioinformatics expertise in some TB endemic countries

    Framework for the evaluation of new tests for tuberculosis infection

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    The scale-up of tuberculosis (TB) preventive treatment (TPT) must be accelerated to achieve the targets set by the United Nations High-level Meeting on TB and the End TB Strategy. The scale-up of effective TPT is hampered by concerns about operational challenges to implement the existing tests for TB infection. New simpler tests could facilitate the scale-up of testing for TB infection. We present a framework for evaluation of new immunodiagnostic tests for the detection of TB infection, with an aim to facilitate their standardised evaluation and accelerate adoption into global and national policies and subsequent scale-up. The framework describes the principles to be considered when evaluating new tests for TB infection and provides guidance to manufacturers, researchers, regulators and other users on study designs, populations, reference standards, sample size calculation and data analysis and it is also aligned with the Global Strategy for TB Research and Innovation adopted by the World Health Assembly in 2020. We also briefly describe technical issues that should be considered when evaluating new tests, including the safety for skin tests, costs incurred by patients and the health system patient, and operational characteristics

    Emerg Infect Dis

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    In a nationwide survey in 2011, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) was found in 5.2% and 40.8% of patients with new and previously treated TB, respectively. These levels of drug resistance are among the highest ever documented in Africa and the Middle East. This finding presents a serious challenge for TB control in Somalia
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