An evaluation of the tuberculosis control programme of Selangor State, Malaysia for the year 2001

In the year 2001, 1459 Tuberculosis (TB) cases (43.1/100,000 population) were notified in Selangor. The highest age specific incidence rate was among those aged above 60 years and foreigners accounted for 15% of the cases notified. Fifteen percent of the TB cases were treated in the private sector where treatment efficacy and compliance could not be evaluated. Co- infection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection with TB accounted for 51% of the TB deaths notified. Screening programmes in prisons and drug rehabilitation centres had detected 11.7% of HIV/TB coinfection among HIV positive inmates screened in these institutions.     

陕西省TB与HIV/AIDS双向筛查及TB/HIV患者抗结核治疗转归队列分析

目的 了解陕西省TB/HIV (结核分枝杆菌 /艾滋病病毒)双重感染防治工作。提高TB/HIV发现、治疗和管理力度,控制结核病和艾滋病的进一步传播,保护公众健康。方法 收集整理和分析2010—2017年陕西省各地上报的《TB/HIV 双重感染防治管理工作年度报表》。结果 2010—2017年,累计接受HIV抗体检测的结核病患者43 304例,检测率25.10%,HIV检测阳性数16例,阳性检出率0.04%;同期,HIV /AIDS患者中,新检出的HIV/AIDS中接受X线胸片或查痰9 666人,结核病检查率76.81%;诊断TB/HIV双重感染患者224人,结核病患者检出率2.32%;既往的HIV/AIDS中接受X线胸片或查痰24 277人次,结核病检查率80.43%;诊断TB/HIV双重感染患者105人,结核病患者检出率0.43%;结核中筛HIV/AIDS,新检出HIV/AIDS中筛结核,既往HIV/AIDS中筛结核,三组检出率两两进行对比,差别均有统计学意义（P<0.001）;共进行抗结核治疗263例,抗结核治疗率76.23%;进行抗病毒治疗256例,抗病毒治疗率74.20%;抗结核治疗的TB/HIV患者中治愈35例（17.59%）,完成疗程率141例（70.85%）,结核死亡1例（0.50%）,非结核死亡15例（7.54%）,丢失2例（1.00%）,其他5例（2.51%）。结论 双向筛查是切实有效的早期发现TB/HIV的方法,有利于提高TB/HIV的早期发现,并能提高TB/HIV双重感染患者结核病的治疗成功率、降低结核病死亡率,有效的控制TB/HIV双重感染疫情。     

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection-Associated Mortality during Pulmonary Tuberculosis Treatment in Six Provinces of China

Objective To investigate the risk factors attributable to tuberculosis-related deaths in areas with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection epidemics.
Methods A prospective cohort study of newly registered patients in tuberculosis (TB) dispensaries in six representative Chinese provinces was conducted from September 1, 2009 to August 31, 2011. Risk factors for TB-associated death were identified through logistic regression analysis.
Results Of 19,103 newly registered pulmonary TB patients, 925 (4.8%) were found to be HIV-positive. Miliary TB and acid-fast bacillus smear-negative TB were more common among these patients. Out of a total of 322 (1.7%) deaths that occurred during TB treatment, 85 (26%) of the patients were co-infected with HIV. Multivariate analysis revealed that HIV infection was the strongest predictor of death [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 7.86]. Other significant mortality risk factors included presentation with miliary TB (aOR 4.10; 95% confidence interval: 2.14-7.88), ≥35 years of age (aOR 3.04), non-Han ethnicity (aOR 1.67), and farming as an occupation (aOR 1.59). For patients with TB/HIV co-infection, miliary TB was the strongest risk factor for death (aOR 5.48). A low CD4 count (≤200 cells/μL) (aOR 3.27) at the time of TB treatment initiation and a lack of antiretroviral therapy (ART) administration (aOR 3.78) were also correlated with an increased risk of death.
Conclusion Infection with HIV was independently associated with increased mortality during TB treatment. Offering HIV testing at the time of diagnosis with TB, early TB diagnosis among HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients, and the timely provision of ART were identified as the key approaches that could reduce the number of HIV-associated TB deaths.     

大连市住院结核病人HIV抗体检测结果调查

目的:了解大连结核病人群中HIV感染情况,为TB∕HIV双重感染防治工作提供依据。方法:采用连续抽样的方法,对大连市2009年1月1日～2011年12月31日住院的结核病人,用酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)进行HIV初筛,初筛阳性者于市疾控做免疫印迹(western-blot)确认试验。结果:调查住院肺结核病人7 726例,HIV阳性者14例,感染率0.18%;HIV感染病人年龄在20～58岁,男性组HIV感染率0.2%,女性组感染率0.1%;不同年龄活动性结核病人中HIV感染者主要集中在青壮年,占78.6%;TB∕HIV双重感染逐年呈上升趋势。结论:结核病专科医院应重视HIV抗体检测,对控制TB/HIV双重感染有重要意义。     

HIV-TB: the 'cursed duet'

Tuberculosis is the most common infection among HIV-infected patients in India. More deaths were reported due to tuberculosis in AIDS patients in pre-antiretroviral therapy era. HIV is the strongest of all known, risk factors for the development of TB. Tuberculosis can develop at any stage of the HIV disease. Extrapulmonary tuberculosis is more common and constitues half of the cases in HIV-infected individual with TB. Hilar lymphadenopathy is frequently observed. TB in HIV frequently poses a diagnostic challenge. Acid-fast bacillus demonstration on sputum smear microscopy is the main-stay laboratory investigation for TB. In addition to antituberculous therapy, antiretroviral therapy must be initiated in HIV-infected individual with TB. Early referrals to the RNTCP and ART programmes are the best option for management.     

Tuberculosis in illegal foreign fishermen: whose public health are we protecting?

OBJECTIVE: To document demographic details, prevalence of tuberculosis (TB), and completion of TB treatment in illegal foreign fishermen detained in Australia. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: Clinical audit of 1471 illegal foreign fishermen who underwent health assessments in Darwin between 28 September 2005 and 31 December 2006. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Demographic details, diagnoses of smear-positive and culture-positive TB, drug sensitivity results and treatment completion. RESULTS: 1471 illegal fishermen underwent health assessments, including chest x-ray screening. All were male and 93.8% were from Indonesia. Of the 31 fishermen (2.1%) admitted to hospital with chest x-rays suggestive of TB, 20 were diagnosed with TB (15 culture-proven; 5 according to clinical and radiological criteria) and 18 commenced treatment. There were 8 smear-positive cases and one multidrug-resistant TB case. The prevalence of culture-positive TB was very high at 1020 per 100 000 patients. All fishermen were deported before treatment completion, and all were lost to follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The health assessment process successfully detected cases of TB in illegal foreign fishermen, enabling treatment to commence and the local public's health to be protected. Treatment completion in illegal foreign fishermen may be as low as zero; deporting fishermen before curative treatment is completed undermines TB control efforts and may lead to an emergence of drug resistance and an increased burden of active TB disease in our region.     

Incidence of tuberculosis among reported AIDS cases in Quebec from 1979 to 1996

BACKGROUND: The impact of HIV infection on tuberculosis (TB) rates in Quebec has not been fully established. Because concurrent HIV infection is the single most important factor in TB reactivation, the authors used Quebec AIDS surveillance data to quantify the extent of TB among reported AIDS cases and to identify the characteristics of AIDS patients with TB. METHODS: The study population comprised people aged 15 years and over with AIDS diagnosed between Jan. 1, 1979, and Dec. 31, 1996, and reported by Mar. 13, 1997. Patients with TB (all forms) and those without TB were compared. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to examine the independent effect of each variable on the AIDS-TB cases. The authors also compared the number of AIDS-TB cases with the number of TB cases to estimate the effect of HIV infection on TB incidence. RESULTS: Of the 4684 people with AIDS reported in Quebec, 242 (5.2%) had active TB at some point during the course of their illness. During 1992-1995, 9.6% of the people with TB in Montreal, and 5.8% in the province of Quebec, also had HIV infection. Those with AIDS and TB were predominantly male (75.2%), manual workers (40.1%) and residents of Montreal (86.4%) and were born in an HIV-endemic country (63.8%). The multivariate analysis indicated that AIDS patients who were born in HIV-endemic countries in the Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa or other developing regions were 21.8 times (95% confidence interval [CI] 19.5-28.5), 17.9 times (95% CI 12.7-27.1) and 4.9 times (95% CI 3.5-7.0) more likely to have TB than those born in Canada; manual workers and unemployed people with AIDS were 1.6 times (95% CI 1.3-2.0) and 2.0 times (95% CI 1.5-2.6) more likely to have TB than professional workers; and people who acquired HIV infection through heterosexual contact were 2.1 times (95% CI 1.6-3.1) more likely to have TB than men who acquired it through sexual contact with other men. INTERPRETATION: AIDS seems to contribute significantly to the number of TB cases. The results of this study reinforce the importance of offering HIV testing to people in high-risk groups, such as those born in a country where HIV and TB is endemic.     

Changes in Escherichia coli resistance to co-trimoxazole in tuberculosis patients and in relation to co-trimoxazole prophylaxis in Thyolo,Malawi

In Thyolo district, Malawi, an operational research study is being conducted on the efficacy and feasibility of co-trimoxazole prophylaxis in preventing deaths in HIV-positive patients with tuberculosis (TB). A series of cross-sectional studies were carried out to determine i) whether faecal Escherichia coli (E.coli) resistance to co-trimoxazole in TB patients changed with time and ii) whether the resistance pattern was different in HIV positive TB patients who were taking co-trimoxazole prophylaxis. Co-trimoxazole resistance among E.coli isolates in TB patients at the time of registration was 60% in 1999 and 77% in 2001 (p<0.01). Resistance was 89% among HIV-infected TB patients (receiving co-trimoxazole), while in HIV negative patients (receiving anti-TB therapy alone) it was 62% (p<0.001). The study shows a significant increase of E.coli resistance to co-trimoxazole in TB patients which is particularly prominent in HIV infected patients on co-trimoxazole prophylaxis. Since a high degree of plasmid-mediated transfer of resistance exists between E.coli and the Salmonella species, these findings could herald limitations on the short and long term benefits to be anticipated from the use of co-trimoxazole prophylaxis in preventing non-typhoidal salmonella bacteraemia and enteritis in HIV infected TB patients in Malawi.     

深圳市2006-2010年肺结核病报告、登记疫情分析

摘要 目的 运用“疾病监测信息报告管理系统”分析肺结核病疫情。方法 收集“疾病监测信息报告管理系统”肺结核网络直报、结防机构肺结核患者和可疑肺结核患者转诊追踪报表、肺结核病人登记管理报表等材料进行分析。结果2006-2010年肺结核病总报告率(含疑似病例、临床诊断病例和实验室诊断病例) 逐年下降,分别为398.7/10万、396.2/10万、381.3/10万、372.1 /10万、358.2/10万,其中确诊报告率(含临床诊断病例和实验室诊断病例)则逐年上升,分别为53.6/10万、54.0/10万、67.4/10万、77.5/10万、71.1/10万;疑似肺结核病人总体到位率逐年提高,分别为63.7%、63.9% 、65.4% 、80.8%、85.6%;肺结核病人登记率逐年提高,分别为39.3/10万、47.5/10万、55.5/10万、60.7/10万、58.5/10万。结论 总报告发病率比较全面地反映了目前实际的肺结核疫情,已出现逐年下降的趋势;而其中确诊报告发病率上升是由于受加大管理力度的各种因素影响,导致在总报告肺结核中找出更多的确诊病例。     

Radiological pattern of chest disease in a provincial hospital

Chest x-rays of 533 patients were prospectively studied over a period of 6 months. The sex, age and disease types were recorded. The sex ratio was found to be variable according to the disease. About one third of the patients were under 10 years of age. 83% of the total were in the age range 0 to 49 years. 41 per cent of the cases had lung infection; pulmonary tuberculosis accounting for one fourth of these. Cardiac lesions constituted 11%. Other chest diseases accounted for 7%. 27 percent of the chest x-rays were reported as normal.     

广西TB/HIV双重感染筛查与诊疗管理现况分析

目的 分析2010-2015年广西结核分枝杆菌(TB)/HIV双重感染筛查与治疗监测数据,评估防治现况及发展趋势.方法 收集2010-2015年TB/HIV双重感染年度监测报表,导出相应年份的结核病和获得性免疫缺陷综合征(简称艾滋病)专报数据,将数据进行比对和趋势分析.结果 2010-2015年,广西结核病患者中的HIV检测接受率和HIV感染/艾滋病患者的结核病相关筛检接受率呈逐年上升趋势(P＜0.05);双向筛查的阳性检出率呈逐年下降趋势(P＜0.05);TB/HIV双重感染患者主要集中在广西中部地区;年度监测TB/HIV双重感染防治工作年度监测报表数据与专报系统的双向登记筛查数趋于一致,但仍有误差;TB/HIV双重感染患者接受抗结核和抗病毒联合治疗率较低,在2o％～60％波动;治疗成功率虽然逐年提高,但仍受到死亡、丢失和其他转归的影响.结论 广西地区TB/HIV双重感染疫情随着双重感染防治工作的全面推进,已取得一定的效果.     

使用GBZ70-2002标准诊断尘肺病185例分析

目的总结使用GBZ70-2002标准诊断尘肺病的体会。方法回顾性分析1150人的体检资料,全部受检者均摄有符合标准的高仟伏胸片,其中5例还进行了CT平扫,依据GBZ70-2002为标准,对照标准片实行集体诊断。结果总共诊断出尘肺病185例,其中Ⅰ期125例,Ⅱ期51例,Ⅲ期9例。另有42例诊断为0+。结论严格执行标准,拍摄符合标准技术要求的胸片,参照标准准片实行集体诊断的原则,是准确诊断坐肺病的关键。鉴别诊断时结合CT/HRCT,MRI或其它检查是有帮助的。     

A Retrospective Study of Culture-confirmed Mycobacterial Infection among Hospitalized HIV-infected Patients in Beijing,China

A retrospective analysis was performed in two major HIV/AIDS referral hospitals in Beijing to evaluate the prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections in HIV-infected patients. A total of 627 patients' data were reviewed, and 102 (16.3%) patients were diagnosed with culture-confirmed mycobacterial infection, including 84 with MTB, 16 with NTM, and 2 with both MTB and NTM. The most frequent clinical complication by mycobacterial infection was pulmonary infection (48/102, 47.1%). The overall rates of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) were 11.9% and 3.4%, respectively. This study underlines the urgent need to intensify screening for mycobacteria coinfection with HIV and to prevent the spread of drug-resistant TB among HIV-infected patients.     

北海市1998～2013年艾滋病流行状况及特征分析

目的分析北海市1998~2013年艾滋病病毒感染者和艾滋病病人流行病学特征及趋势,为进一步预防控制艾滋病的蔓延提供依据。方法收集1998~2013年国家AIDS综合防治信息系统中的北海市HIV/AIDS发病资料进行描述流行病学分析。结果北海市1998~2013年报告HIV/AIDS病例990人,其中死亡259例;报告病例中以男性青壮年居多,占75.96%。20~49岁年龄段人群有674例,占68.08%;累计报告病例中以异性性传播感染途径为主,占73.03%,注射毒品传播,占19.09%(189/990);同性传播占3.13%;母婴传播占1.21%。累计报告的病例中,农村人口占71.01%;报告的AIDS中79.43%的病例当年首次报告即为AIDS病人,死亡病例中65.63%的病例确认1年内死于艾滋病。结论北海市艾滋病疫情呈逐年上升趋势,性传播成为最主要的传播途径,存在病人发现晚的问题;应加强高危人群监测、扩大检测,重视农村地区及流动人口的艾滋病综合防控工作,控制艾滋病的蔓延。     

结核病与艾滋病双重感染病例流行病学特点分析

目的了解结核病与艾滋病双重感染病例流行病学特点。方法随访已确诊的艾滋病病毒感染者和艾滋病病人,为HIV/AIDS者拍摄X线胸片和痰抗酸杆菌染色涂片检查,对确诊的10例TB/HIV病例进行流行病学分析。结果TB/HIV双重感染病例中,涂阳检出率低于涂阴检出率,主要集中在儿童和青壮年,男女性无显著性差异,血液传播占70.0%。结论在结核病人和HIV/AIDS中开展结核病与艾滋病双重感染双向监测,提高TB/HIV双重感染病人发现率,防止传播和蔓延。     

Long time due: reducing tuberculosis mortality in the 21st century

The beginning and the end of the 20th century were marked by great pandemics: influenza and AIDS. Medical journals do not describe any major tuberculosis (TB) pandemics in the 20th century. Yet TB likely was responsible for more deaths in the last 100 years than influenza and HIV combined. Steadily, insidiously, millions of people die from TB every year. Even under optimal TB control conditions, it is estimated that more than 50 million people will die from TB between 1998 and 2020. Under current TB control conditions, the number is closer to 70 million. It is long past time that the global community committed to a serious program to eliminate tuberculosis mortality. Such a program would require making treatment universally available, making prevention accessible to those in poor countries as well as affluent, addressing the interaction between HIV and TB, and setting serious verifiable goals. A global 5 x 7 initiative that calls for treating an additional 5 million active TB cases per year, and for screening up to five contacts of every TB case, by 2007 would offer an important beginning. With the sustained effort that comes from public commitment, TB can be changed from one of the most important causes of preventable death worldwide to a historical cause of death. Without this effort, TB will remain the silent, steady killer it has been for centuries. The rationale for action, potential and need for success are detailed in this article.     

Clinical indicators of mycobacteraemia in adults admitted to hospital in Blantyre

The aims of the study were to measure the prevalence and outcome of mycobacteraemia in febrile hospitalised adults; to determine what proportion could be identified using routine methods; to assess clinical indicators of mycobacteraemia and the usefulness of a diagnostic trial of anti-TB treatment. We prospectively examined adults with fever or a history of fever admitted to adult medical wards of QECH, Blantyre. All had blood cultured for bacteria and mycobacteria, chest x-ray and sputum smears. M. tuberculosis was the commonest blood isolate, affecting 57 of 344 patients (17%). In 44 (77%) patients with mycobacteraemia, TB was identified using routine investigations; in only 6 (11%) it was not suspected. Strong clinical indicators of mycobacteraemia were anaemia, HIV seropositivity, cough, chronic fever, and a clinical diagnosis of AIDS on the day of admission. Of nine patients selected for a therapeutic trial of TB treatment, six had mycobacteraemia, of whom five died during the trial. Mortality on short course chemotherapy on the TB ward after one month, was similar whether patients had mycobacteramia (21%) or not (32%). TB can be identified with routine methods in most patients with mycobacteraemia. If treated, mycobacteraemia has as good an early outcome as TB without mycobacteraemia. Strengthening of basic facilities is likely to improve detection and treatment of mycobacterial disease.     

深圳市疑似肺结核患者转诊追踪情况分析

目的 评价中国疾病预防控制信息系统对肺结核病人发现工作的作用,为改进医防合作提供依据. 方法 收集2005～2012年深圳市疑似肺结核患者网络登记报告信息及报表信息进行统计分析. 结果 2005～2012年非结防机构网络报告肺结核患者总体到位率逐年提高,由2005年的59.4％提高至2012年90.4％; 2005～2012年登记活动性肺结核中医疗卫生机构转诊病人占86.4％; 2009～2012年网络报告肺结核患到位排除率69.6％. 结论 中国疾病预防控制信息系统有利于推动结核病防治工作；医疗卫生机构是发现肺结核病的主要场所,应加强结核病诊断报告相关知识的培训,提高肺结核患者诊断的准确性.     

Pulmonary disease empirically treated as tuberculosis-a retrospective study of 107 cases

Pulmonary disease is sometimes treated empirically as tuberculosis (TB) in the absence of microbial confirmation if the clinical suspicion of active TB is high. In a country of relatively high TB and low HIV burden, we retrospectively studied 107 patients (69.2% male; mean age (SD): 45 (17) years) who received empirical anti-TB treatment for intrapulmonary opacities or pleural effusions suspected of active TB in our hospitals between 1998 and 2002. The diagnosis of definite or probable 'smear-negative' pulmonary TB was made based on treatment outcome at two months with rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide and ethambutol (or streptomycin). At this end-point, 81 patients (84.4%) had both clinical and radiological improvement (definite cases), 12 (12.5%) had clinical improvement alone and 3 (3.1%) had radiological improvement alone (probable cases). Confirmation of acid-fast bacilli was subsequently obtained in 12 patients (all definite cases) from culture of initial pulmonary specimens. Eleven patients (10.5%) were diagnosed as 'non-TB' based on absence of both clinical and radiological improvement or discovery of another cause for the pulmonary condition at or before this two-month study end-point. In the 'non-TB' group, 2 had carcinoma, 2 had HIV-related pulmonary diseases, 1 had bronchiectasis, while in 6 causes were indeterminate. Six (6.3%) and 3 (27.3%) patients reported adverse effects from anti-TB drugs from the 'TB' and 'non-TB' groups respectively. Our findings suggest that empirical anti-TB treatment is an acceptable practice if clinical suspicion is high in patients coming in our region.     

Ethical aspects of the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme

This paper identifies some ethical concerns regarding the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP). Only 10% of those with chest symptoms visiting public health facilities get specific treatment as they are diagnosed with TB. The remaining 90% who suffer from non-TB diseases are not given scientific treatment. This compartmental approach denies treatment to millions of people with chest symptoms. It has also eroded the popularity of public health facilities. Second, though 87% of those diagnosed on the basis of x-ray alone are unlikely to have TB, such unethical wrong diagnoses continue to be carried out under the TB programme. Still worse, the RNTCP's expectation that only half of TB cases should be smear positive effectively permits up to 50% of diagnoses to be wrong. The actual extent of wrong diagnosis is even higher as the majority of people with chest symptoms first visit private health facilities which base their diagnosis almost exclusively on radiological examination. Third, though 25% to 33% of TB cases get cured spontaneously, and at least two-thirds were cured even with incomplete treatment, the RNTCP insists on full treatment for all TB cases. This over-treatment is unethical, wasteful and also tantamount to scientific dishonesty. Studies to identify different categories of cases (those needing full treatment, short treatment or no treatment) have not been attempted. The introduction (under the RNTCP) of the "success rate"in preference to the well recognised "cure rate" was unethical and unwarranted. "Crying wolf" over Multiple Drug Resistant (MDR) TB to justify DOTS when there is no apparent alarming increase in the incidence of initial MDR tuberculosis cases is also questionable. Other ethical concerns about the RNTCP include the irrational choice of districts leading to exclusion of those that need the services most; exclusion of diagnosed patients from the DOTS scheme, and exclusion from treatment on non-medical grounds. Such exclusions can be up to 58% of TB cases.