TB-free Ebeye: Results from integrated TB and noncommunicable disease case finding in Ebeye, Marshall Islands

Abstract

BackgroundTuberculosis (TB) incidence rates in the Republic of the Marshall Islands are among the highest in the world, 480/100,000 in 2017. In response, the Health Ministry completed islandwide screening in Ebeye Island in 2017. MethodsParticipants were interviewed to obtain TB history, exposures, and symptoms. TB assessment included chest radiography with sputum collection for GeneXpert® MTB-RIF if indicated. TB diagnosis was made by consensus of visiting TB experts. Participants were also screened for Hansen’s disease (HD) and diabetes mellitus (DM). For persons aged ≥21 years, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose were assessed. ResultsA total of 5,166 persons (90.0 % of target population) completed screening leading to the identification of 39 new cases of TB (755/100,000) and 14 persons with HD (270/100,000). DM was detected in 1,096 persons (27 %), including in 351 persons not previously diagnosed. The rate of hypertension was 61 % and of hypercholesterolemia was 15 %. New or prevalent TB diagnosis was associated with newly diagnosed or history of DM (aOR 4.68, 2.15–10.20). ConclusionsIn Ebeye, an integrated TB screening campaign found TB, HD, DM, and hypertension. TB and DM were strongly associated.