A A Malik1, F Amanullah2, A J Codlin3, S Siddiqui4, M Jaswal4, J F Ahmed4, S Saleem4, A Khurshid5, H Hussain6. 1. Global Health Directorate, Indus Health Network, Interactive Research and Development, Pakistan, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. 2. Global Health Directorate, Indus Health Network, Interactive Research and Development, Pakistan. 3. Stop TB Partnership. 4. Global Health Directorate, Indus Health Network. 5. Provincial TB Control Program, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. 6. Interactive Research and Development, Pakistan.
Abstract
SETTING: Many children with tuberculosis (TB) remain undiagnosed due to the absence of services, lack of child-friendly diagnostics and underappreciation of TB as a common cause of childhood illness. OBJECTIVE: To show the impact of systematic verbal screening and contact tracing with appropriate management services on TB case finding in pediatric populations. DESIGN: Between October 2014 and March 2016, children were verbally screened at the pediatric out-patient departments of four public hospitals in Jamshoro District, Pakistan. Children with symptoms or risk of TB were referred for clinical evaluation and free chest X-ray and bacteriological tests. Children with TB were started on treatment and their care givers asked to bring household members to the hospital for screening. RESULTS: Over 105 000 children were verbally screened and 5880 presumptive childhood TB patients were identified; 1417 children (prevalence 1.3%) were diagnosed with TB; 43% were female. The median age was 5 years; 82% had pulmonary TB. An additional 390 children with TB were diagnosed through contact tracing. These activities resulted in a three-fold increase in pediatric TB case notifications. CONCLUSION: Systematic verbal screening with clinical evaluation and free diagnostics can identify children with TB who may otherwise be missed in rural health settings.
SETTING: Many children with tuberculosis (TB) remain undiagnosed due to the absence of services, lack of child-friendly diagnostics and underappreciation of TB as a common cause of childhood illness. OBJECTIVE: To show the impact of systematic verbal screening and contact tracing with appropriate management services on TB case finding in pediatric populations. DESIGN: Between October 2014 and March 2016, children were verbally screened at the pediatric out-patient departments of four public hospitals in Jamshoro District, Pakistan. Children with symptoms or risk of TB were referred for clinical evaluation and free chest X-ray and bacteriological tests. Children with TB were started on treatment and their care givers asked to bring household members to the hospital for screening. RESULTS: Over 105 000 children were verbally screened and 5880 presumptive childhood TB patients were identified; 1417 children (prevalence 1.3%) were diagnosed with TB; 43% were female. The median age was 5 years; 82% had pulmonary TB. An additional 390 children with TB were diagnosed through contact tracing. These activities resulted in a three-fold increase in pediatric TB case notifications. CONCLUSION: Systematic verbal screening with clinical evaluation and free diagnostics can identify children with TB who may otherwise be missed in rural health settings.
Authors: F Naufal; L H Chaisson; K O Robsky; P Delgado-Barroso; H S Alvarez-Manzo; C R Miller; A E Shapiro; J E Golub Journal: Int J Tuberc Lung Dis Date: 2022-06-01 Impact factor: 3.427
Authors: Alexander W Kay; Tara Ness; Sabine E Verkuijl; Kerri Viney; Annemieke Brands; Tiziana Masini; Lucia González Fernández; Michael Eisenhut; Anne K Detjen; Anna M Mandalakas; Karen R Steingart; Yemisi Takwoingi Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2022-09-06
Authors: Melanie M Dubois; Meredith B Brooks; Amyn A Malik; Sara Siddiqui; Junaid F Ahmed; Maria Jaswal; Farhana Amanullah; Mercedes C Becerra; Hamidah Hussain Journal: Pediatr Infect Dis J Date: 2022-07-13 Impact factor: 3.806
Authors: Amyn A Malik; Hamidah Hussain; Jacob Creswell; Sara Siddiqui; Junaid F Ahmed; Falak Madhani; Ali Habib; Aamir J Khan; Farhana Amanullah Journal: Trop Med Infect Dis Date: 2019-12-15
Authors: Bryan Vonasek; Tara Ness; Yemisi Takwoingi; Alexander W Kay; Susanna S van Wyk; Lara Ouellette; Ben J Marais; Karen R Steingart; Anna M Mandalakas Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2021-06-28
Authors: Alexander W Kay; Lucia González Fernández; Yemisi Takwoingi; Michael Eisenhut; Anne K Detjen; Karen R Steingart; Anna M Mandalakas Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2020-08-27
Authors: Lise Denoeud-Ndam; Rose Otieno-Masaba; Boris Tchounga; Rhoderick Machekano; Leonie Simo; Joseph Phelix Mboya; Judith Kose; Patrice Tchendjou; Anne-Cécile Zoung-Kanyi Bissek; Gordon Odhiambo Okomo; Martina Casenghi; Jennifer Cohn; Appolinaire Tiam Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2020-05-06 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: L Ketema; Z G Dememew; D Assefa; T Gudina; A Kassa; T Letta; B Ayele; Y Tadesse; B Tegegn; D G Datiko; C Negeri; A Bedru; E Klinkenberg Journal: PLoS One Date: 2020-11-19 Impact factor: 3.240