Journal Article > ReviewAbstract
Future Microbiol. 23 July 2020; Volume 15; DOI:10.2217/fmb-2019-0309
Guglielmetti L, Chiesi S, Eimer J, Dominguez J, Masini T, et al.
Future Microbiol. 23 July 2020; Volume 15; DOI:10.2217/fmb-2019-0309
Drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) represents a substantial threat to the global efforts to control this disease. After decades of stagnation, the treatment of drug-resistant TB is undergoing major changes: two drugs with a new mechanism of action, bedaquiline and delamanid, have been approved by stringent regulatory authorities and are recommended by the WHO. This narrative review summarizes the evidence, originating from both observational studies and clinical trials, which is available to support the use of these drugs, with a focus on special populations. Areas of uncertainty, including the use of the two drugs together or for prolonged duration, are discussed. Ongoing clinical trials are aiming to optimize the use of bedaquiline and delamanid to shorten the treatment of drug-resistant TB.
Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
Public Health Action. 21 September 2019
England K, Masini T, Fajardo E
Public Health Action. 21 September 2019
The World Health Organization (WHO) currently recommends Xpert® MTB/RIF as the initial test for all people with presumptive tuberculosis (TB). A number of challenges have been reported, however, in using this technology, particularly in low-resource settings. Here we examine these challenges, and provide our perspective of the barriers to Xpert scale-up as assessed through a survey in 16 TB burden countries in which the Médecins Sans Frontières is present. We observed that the key barriers to scale-up include a lack of policy adoption and implementation of WHO recommendations for the use of Xpert, resulting from high costs, poor sensitisation of clinical staff and a high turnover of trained laboratory
staff; insufficient service and maintenance provision provided by the manufacturer; and inadequate resources for sustainability and expansion. Funding is a critical issue as countries begin to transition out of support from the Global Fund. While it is clear that there is still an urgent need for research into and development of a rapid, affordable point-of-care test for TB that is truly adapted for use in low-resource settings, countries in the meantime need to develop functional and sustainable Xpert networks in order to close the existing diagnostic gap.
staff; insufficient service and maintenance provision provided by the manufacturer; and inadequate resources for sustainability and expansion. Funding is a critical issue as countries begin to transition out of support from the Global Fund. While it is clear that there is still an urgent need for research into and development of a rapid, affordable point-of-care test for TB that is truly adapted for use in low-resource settings, countries in the meantime need to develop functional and sustainable Xpert networks in order to close the existing diagnostic gap.
Journal Article > Pre-PrintFull Text
bioRxiv. 1 February 2019; DOI:10.1101/533851
Saran K, Masini T, Chikwanha I, Paton G, Scourse R, et al.
bioRxiv. 1 February 2019; DOI:10.1101/533851
BACKGROUND
Tuberculosis (TB) poses a global health crisis requiring robust international and country-level action. Adopting and implementing TB policies from the World Health Organization (WHO) is essential to meeting global targets for reducing TB burden. However, many high TB burden countries lag in implementing WHO recommendations. Assessing the progress of implementation at national level can identify key gaps that must be addressed to expand and improve TB care.
METHODS
In 2016/2017, Médecins Sans Frontières and the Stop TB Partnership conducted a survey on adoption and implementation of 47 WHO TB policies in the national TB programs of 29 countries. Here we analyze a subset of 23 key policies in diagnosis, models of care, treatment, prevention, and drug regulation to provide a snapshot of national TB policy adoption and implementation. We examine progress since an analogous 2015 survey of 23 of the same countries.
RESULTS
At the time of the survey, many countries had not yet aligned their national guidelines with all WHO recommendations, although some progress was seen since 2015. For diagnosis, about half of surveyed countries had adopted the WHO-recommended initial rapid test (Xpert MTB/RIF). A majority of countries had adopted decentralized models of care, although one-third of them still required hospitalization for drug-resistant (DR-)TB. Recommended use of the newer drugs bedaquiline (registered in only 6 high-burden TB countries) and delamanid (not registered in any high-burden country) was adopted by 23 and 18 countries, respectively, but short-course (9-month) and newer pediatric regimens by only 13 and 14 countries, respectively. Guidelines in all countries included preventive treatment of latent TB infection for child TB contacts and people living with HIV/AIDS, but only four extended this to adult contacts.
CONCLUSION
To reach global TB targets, greater political will is needed to rapidly adopt and implement internationally recognized care guidelines.
Tuberculosis (TB) poses a global health crisis requiring robust international and country-level action. Adopting and implementing TB policies from the World Health Organization (WHO) is essential to meeting global targets for reducing TB burden. However, many high TB burden countries lag in implementing WHO recommendations. Assessing the progress of implementation at national level can identify key gaps that must be addressed to expand and improve TB care.
METHODS
In 2016/2017, Médecins Sans Frontières and the Stop TB Partnership conducted a survey on adoption and implementation of 47 WHO TB policies in the national TB programs of 29 countries. Here we analyze a subset of 23 key policies in diagnosis, models of care, treatment, prevention, and drug regulation to provide a snapshot of national TB policy adoption and implementation. We examine progress since an analogous 2015 survey of 23 of the same countries.
RESULTS
At the time of the survey, many countries had not yet aligned their national guidelines with all WHO recommendations, although some progress was seen since 2015. For diagnosis, about half of surveyed countries had adopted the WHO-recommended initial rapid test (Xpert MTB/RIF). A majority of countries had adopted decentralized models of care, although one-third of them still required hospitalization for drug-resistant (DR-)TB. Recommended use of the newer drugs bedaquiline (registered in only 6 high-burden TB countries) and delamanid (not registered in any high-burden country) was adopted by 23 and 18 countries, respectively, but short-course (9-month) and newer pediatric regimens by only 13 and 14 countries, respectively. Guidelines in all countries included preventive treatment of latent TB infection for child TB contacts and people living with HIV/AIDS, but only four extended this to adult contacts.
CONCLUSION
To reach global TB targets, greater political will is needed to rapidly adopt and implement internationally recognized care guidelines.