Tuberculosis Information Management System Research Articles

Incidence, Outcomes, and Risk Factors for Isoniazid-Resistant Tuberculosis from 2012 to 2022 in Eastern China.

Isoniazid-resistant, rifampicin-susceptible tuberculosis (Hr-TB) is the most frequent drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) in the world, and unfavorable outcomes of Hr-TB are more common compared to drug-susceptible TB. Considering there is no optimal regimen accepted worldwide, we undertook a retrospective cohort study in eastern China to estimate incidence trends and risk factors associated with unfavorable outcomes of Hr-TB. Between January 2012 and December 2022, all Hr-TB patients' information was extracted from the Tuberculosis Information Management System (TIMS), which is a national electronic information platform, to record TB patients' clinical information in this study. The incidence of Hr-TB was determined by the mid-year population according to census data published by the government. We categorized treatment regimens depending on fluoroquinolone (FQ) use, and potential risk factors were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. A total of 3116 Hr-TB patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were enrolled in this study. The average annual rate of Hr-TB in the 11 years under investigation was 0.34 per 100,000 and increased to 0.53 per 100,000 until 2019. In total, six different treatment regimens were utilized in the study sites, and less than 1% of regimens adopted FQ. There was no difference in the unfavorable outcomes between the FQ-included and FQ-excluded groups (p = 0.22). The average treatment duration was 7.06 months, and the longest treatment was 26 months. Approximately 20% (637/3116) of Hr-TB patients had unfavorable outcomes, and 60.13% (383/637) of them proceeded to multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Treatment duration and a positive smear at the end of the 5th month were significantly associated with unfavorable outcomes (p < 0.001). The unfavorable treatment outcomes of Hr-TB are still high in eastern China, and the efficacy of FQ-containing regimens needs to be validated for Hr-TB treatment.

Analysis of care-seeking and diagnosis delay among pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Beijing, China.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant public health challenge in China. Early detection and diagnosis of TB cases are crucial to interrupt disease transmission and prevent its progression. This study aims to describe the delay in seeking care and diagnosis among patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and identify the influencing factors in two counties in Beijing. A retrospective analysis was carried out to investigate care-seeking and diagnosis delay in two counties in Beijing. Basic information of PTB patients from January 1 to December 31, 2021, was extracted from the Tuberculosis Information Management System of China (TBIMS), and all enrolled patients were interviewed via telephone using a standard questionnaire. Statistical description was performed using the median and interquartile range (IQR). Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression model were used to analyze the influencing factors. 537 patients were enrolled. The median duration of care-seeking and diagnosis delay was 11 (IQR: 5-26) days and 8 (IQR: 0-18) days, with 41.71 and 35.20% of patients experiencing delays (>14 days). The study found that being asymptomatic (OR = 2.791, 95%CI: 1.710-4.555) before seeking medical care and not attending work during treatment (OR = 2.990, 95%CI: 1.419-6.298) were identified as risk factors for care-seeking delay. Patients who were tracked (OR = 2.632, 95%CI: 1.062-6.521) and diagnosed at tuberculosis control and prevention institutions (OR = 1.843, 95%CI: 1.061-3.202) had higher odds of diagnostic delays. 44.69% of patients presented a total delay (>28 days), with a median duration of 25 (IQR: 13-39) days. A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that healthy examination (OR = 0.136, 95%CI: 0.043-0.425) was a protective factor for total delay. Public interventions are necessary to improve the efficiency of PTB patients detection and treatment in Beijing. Medical services should focus on the target population and improve access to medical care to further reduce delays for PTB patients.

Analysis on time delay of tuberculosis among adolescents and young adults in Eastern China.

Tuberculosis (TB) is recognized as a significant global public health concern. Still, there remains a dearth of comprehensive evaluation regarding the specific indicators and their influencing factors of delay for adolescents and young adults. All notified pulmonary TB (PTB) patients in Jiaxing City were collected between 2005 and 2022 from China's TB Information Management System. Logistic regression models were conducted to ascertain the factors that influenced patient and health system delays for PTB cases, respectively. Furthermore, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on local delays has been explored. From January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2022, a total of 5,282 PTB cases were notified in Jiaxing City, including 1,678 adolescents and 3,604 young adults. For patient delay, female (AOR: 1.18, 95%CI: 1.05-1.32), PTB complicated with extra-pulmonary TB (AOR: 1.70, 95% CI: 1.28-2.26), passive case finding (AOR: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.07-1.98) and retreatment (AOR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.11-2.09) showed a higher risk of delay. For health system delay, minorities (AOR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.53-0.90) and non-students (AOR: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.71-0.98) experienced a lower delay. Referral (AOR: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.29-1.65) had a higher health system delay compared with clinical consultation. Furthermore, county hospitals (AOR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.32-1.65) and etiological positive results (AOR: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.30-1.63) were associated with comparatively high odds of patient delay. Contrarily, county hospitals (AOR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.78-1.00) and etiological positive results (AOR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.59-0.74) experienced a lower health system delay. Besides, the median of patient delay, health system delay, and total delay during the COVID-19 pandemic were significantly lower than that before. In general, there has been a noteworthy decline in the notification rate of PTB among adolescents and young adults in Jiaxing City while the declining trend was not obvious in patient delay, health system delay, and total delay, respectively. It also found factors such as gender, case-finding method, and the hospital level might influence the times of seeking health care and diagnosis in health agencies. These findings will provide valuable insights for refining preventive and treatment strategies for TB among adolescents and young adults.

Trend of the Tuberculous Pleurisy Notification Rate in Eastern China During 2017-2021: Spatiotemporal Analysis.

Tuberculous pleurisy (TP) presents a serious allergic reaction in the pleura caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis; however, few studies have described its spatial epidemiological characteristics in eastern China. This study aimed to determine the epidemiological distribution of TP and predict its further development in Zhejiang Province. Data on all notified cases of TP in Zhejiang Province, China, from 2017 to 2021 were collected from the existing tuberculosis information management system. Analyses, including spatial autocorrelation and spatial-temporal scan analysis, were performed to identify hot spots and clusters, respectively. The prediction of TP prevalence was performed using the seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA), Holt-Winters exponential smoothing, and Prophet models using R (The R Foundation) and Python (Python Software Foundation). The average notification rate of TP in Zhejiang Province was 7.06 cases per 100,000 population, peaking in the summer. The male-to-female ratio was 2.18:1. In terms of geographical distribution, clusters of cases were observed in the western part of Zhejiang Province, including parts of Hangzhou, Quzhou, Jinhua, Lishui, Wenzhou, and Taizhou city. Spatial-temporal analysis identified 1 most likely cluster and 4 secondary clusters. The Holt-Winters model outperformed the SARIMA and Prophet models in predicting the trend in TP prevalence. The western region of Zhejiang Province had the highest risk of TP. Comprehensive interventions, such as chest x-ray screening and symptom screening, should be reinforced to improve early identification. Additionally, a more systematic assessment of the prevalence trend of TP should include more predictors.

Diagnostic delay, treatment duration and outcomes since the implementation of integrated model of tuberculosis control and their associated factors in a county in East China

ObjectiveThis study assesses the diagnostic delay, treatment duration and treatment outcomes of tuberculosis (TB) patients since the implementation of the integrated model of TB control in a county in eastern China. It further identifies factors associated with diagnostic delay and treatment duration in the integrated model.MethodsWe collected data through the Chinese Tuberculosis Information Management System (TBIMS) for Cangnan County in Zhejiang Province. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests were adopted to identify factors associated with duration of treatment and treatment delay for TB patients within the integrated model. Multiple regression analysis was subsequently performed to confirm the identified factors.ResultsIn the integrated model from 2012 to 2018, the median health system delay was maintained at 1 day, and the median patient delay decreased from 14 to 9 days and the median total delay decreased from 15 to 11 days. In addition, the proportion of patients who experienced patient delay > 14 days and total delay > 28 days decreased from 49% to 35% and from 32% to 29% respectively. However, the proportion of patients who had health system delay > 14 days increased from 0.2% to 13% from 2012 to 2018. The median treatment duration increased from 199 to 366 days and the number of TB patients lost to follow-up showed an overall upward trend from 2012 to 2018. The multivariable regression analysis indicated that migrant TB patients and TB patients initially diagnosed in hospitals at the prefectural level and above tended to experience total delay > 28 days (p < 0.001). Linear regression analysis confirmed that new TB patients>60 years tended to have longer treatment duration (p < 0.05).ConclusionsWhile our study may suggest the potential of the integrated model in early detection and diagnosis of TB, it also suggests the importance of strengthening supervision and management of designated hospitals to optimize the treatment duration and improve retention of patients in TB care. Enhancing health education for TB patients, especially amongst migrant patients, and training in TB identification and referral for non-TB doctors are also key for early TB detection and diagnosis in the integrated model.

Delay analysis of pulmonary tuberculosis in the eastern coastal county of China from 2010 to 2021: evidence from two surveillance systems.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health challenge. However, indicators of delays in assessing effective TB prevention and control and its influencing factors have not been investigated in the eastern coastal county of China. All notified pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) cases in the Fenghua District, China were collected between 2010 and 2021 from the available TB information management system. Comparison of delays involving patient, health system, and total delays among local and migrant cases. Additionally, in correlation with available Basic Public Health Service Project system, we performed univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses identified the influencing factors associated with patient and total delays in patients aged >60 years. In total, 3,442 PTB cases were notified, including 1,725 local and 1,717 migrant patients, with a male-to-female ratio of 2.13:1. Median patient and total delays of local TB patients were longer than those for migrant patients; the median health system delay did not show any significant difference. For patient delay among the older adult, female (cOR: 1.93, 95% CI: 1.07-3.48), educational level of elementary school and middle school (cOR: 0.23, 95% CI: 0.06-0.84) had a statistical difference from univariable analysis; however, patients without diabetes showed a higher delay for multiple-factor analysis (aOR: 2.12, 95% CI: 1.02-4.41). Furthermore, only the education level of elementary school and middle school presented a low total delay for both univariate (cOR: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.06-0.82) and multivariate analysis (aOR: 0.21, 95% CI: 0.05-0.83) in the older patients. The delay of TB cases among migrants was lower than the local population in the Fenghua District, which may be related to the "healthy migrant effect". It highlights that women, illiterate people, and people without diabetes are key groups for reducing delays among older adults. Health awareness should focus on these target populations, providing accessible health services, and reducing the time from symptom onset to diagnosis.

Analysis of changes in reporting and diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis among children in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province from 2019 to 2021

Objective: To compare the characteristics of children's pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) cases reported from 2019 to 2021 before and during the implementation of the Action Plan to Stop Tuberculosis. Methods: Based on the reported incidence data and population data of child pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) notified to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Tuberculosis Information Management System (TBIMS) from 2019 to 2021, the population information and clinically relevant information in different years were compared. Results: From 2019 to 2021, the reported cases of PTB in children were 363, 664 and 655, respectively. The number of reported cases increased significantly. The median age of the cases in children increased from 10.4 years in 2019 to 11.7 years in 2021 (P=0.005) over a three-year period. The etiological positive rate increased significantly from 11.6% (42/363) in 2019 to 32.2% (211/655) in 2021 (P<0.001). The positive rate of molecular testing increased most significantly, which became the main means of etiological detection and accounted for 16.7% (7/42), 62.0% (57/92) and 75.4% (159/211) of the children with positive etiological results, respectively. The resistance rates of isoniazid and rifampicin were analyzed in children with PTB who underwent drug sensitivity tests. The results showed that the resistance rates of isoniazid and/or rifampicin were 2/9, 3.9% (2/51) and 6.7% (11/163), respectively, with an average of 6.7% (15/223) over three years. The median patients' delay was 27 (12, 49) days in 2019. It was reduced to 19 (10, 37) days in 2020 and 15 (7, 34) days in 2021, both significantly lower than 2019 (P=0.009 and 0.000 2, respectively). Conclusion: From 2019 to 2021, the reported numbers of children with PTB and children with positive etiological results increase significantly in Liangshan Prefecture, while the diagnosis delay of patients significantly reduces.

The incidence of tuberculous pleurisy in mainland China from 2005 to 2018.

Currently, tuberculous pleurisy (TP) remains a serious problem affecting global public health, including in China. Our purpose was to comprehensively understand and identify the incidence of TP in mainland China between 2005 and 2018. The data on registered TP cases from 2005 to 2018 were acquired from the National Tuberculosis Information Management System. We analyzed the demographics, epidemiology, and time-space distribution of TP patients. Then, the effects of potentially influential factors on TP incidences, such as medical expenses per capita, GDP per capita, and population density, were assessed using the Spearman correlation coefficient. The incidence of TP increased in mainland China from 2005 to 2018, with a mean incidence of 2.5 per 100,000 population. Interestingly, spring was the peak season for TP, with more notified cases. Tibet, Beijing, Xinjiang, and Inner Mongolia had the highest mean annual incidence. A moderate positive relationship was found between TP incidence, medical expenses per capita, and GDP per capita. The notified incidence of TP had an elevated trend from 2005 to 2018 in mainland China. The findings of this study provide insight into the knowledge of TP epidemiology in the country, which can help optimize resource allocation to reduce the TP burden.

Disease burden of tuberculosis and post-tuberculosis in Inner Mongolia, China, 2016–2018 — based on the disease burden of post-TB caused by COPD

BackgroundTuberculosis (TB) remains one of the most serious infectious diseases worldwide. China has the second highest TB burden globally, but existing studies have mostly neglected the post-tuberculosis (post-TB) disease burden. This study estimated the disease burden of TB and post-TB in Inner Mongolia, China, from 2016 to 2018.MethodsPopulation data were collected from TB Information Management System. Post-TB disease burden was defined as the burden caused by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) occurring after patients with TB were cured. To estimate the incidence rate of TB, standardized mortality rate, life expectancy, and cause eliminated life expectancy, using descriptive epidemiological, abridged life table and cause eliminated life table. On this basis, the Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALY), Years Lived with Disability (YLD) and Years of Life Lost (YLL) due to TB were further be estimated. The data were analyzed using Excel 2016 and SPSS 26.0. Joinpoint regression models were used to estimate the time and age trends of the disease burden of TB and post-TB.ResultsThe TB incidence in 2016, 2017, and 2018 was 41.65, 44.30, and 55.63/100,000, respectively. The standardized mortality in the same period was 0.58, 0.65, and 1.08/100,000, respectively. From 2016 to 2018, the total DALYs of TB and post-TB were 5923.33, 6258.03, and 8194.38 person-years, and the DALYs of post-TB from 2016 to 2018 were 1555.89, 1663.33, and 2042.43 person-years. Joinpoint regression showed that the DALYs rate increased yearly from 2016 to 2018, and the rate of males was higher than that of females. TB and post-TB DALYs rates showed a rising tendency with increasing age (AAPC values were 149.6% and 157.0%, respectively, P < 0.05), which was higher in the working-age population and elderly.ConclusionThe disease burden of TB and post-TB was heavy and increased year by year in Inner Mongolia from 2016 to 2018. Compared with the youngster and females, working-age population and the elderly and males had a higher disease burden. Policymakers should be paid more attention to the patients’ sustained lung injury after TB cured. There is a pressing need to identify more effective measures for reducing the burden of TB and post-TB of people, to improve their health and well-being.

Current status and future prospects of TB digital treatment adherence technology use in China.

BACKGROUND: Digital treatment adherence technologies (DATs) have been recommended by the Chinese National Tuberculosis Programme since 2015. However, until now the extent to which DATs have been adopted in China remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to understand the current status and future prospects of DAT use in China.METHODS: A cross-sectional study was undertaken to collect data from all 2,884 county-level TB-designated institutions across China using a quantitative questionnaire and extraction of information from the Chinese TB information management system. Data were collected between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021.RESULTS: All of the 2,884 county-level TB-designated institutions responded to the questionnaire. We found that the utilisation rate of DATs in China was 21.5% (n = 620). Among those using DATs, the uptake of DATs among TB patients was 31.0%. Lack of financial, policy and technology support were the main barriers to adoption and scale up DATs at the institution level.CONCLUSIONS: The use of DATs is in an early stage in China; however, the number of institutions who offer DATs have increased significantly after July 2020. To facilitate the use of DATs, the national TB programme should provide more financial, policy and technology support, and a national guideline is required.

Trends of a decade in risk factors of patient delay among pulmonary tuberculosis patients during fast aging and urbanization - analysis of surveillance data from 2008 to 2017 in Wuhan, China

BackgroundTuberculosis (TB) is a leading infectious cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, delay in health care seeking has remained unacceptably high. The aim of this study was to clarify the trend of patient delay and its associated risk factors during rapid aging and urbanization in Wuhan, China from 2008 to 2017.MethodsA total of 63,720 TB patients registered at Wuhan TB Information Management System from January 2008 to December 2017 were included. Long patient delay (LPD) was defined as patient delay longer than 14 days. Independent associations of area and household identity with LPD, as well their interaction effect, were tested by logistic regression models.ResultsAmong 63,720 pulmonary TB patients, 71.3% were males, the mean age was 45.5 ± 18.8 years. The median patient delay was 10 days (IQR, 3–28). A total of 26,360 (41.3%) patients delayed for more than 14 days. The proportion of LPD decreased from 44.8% in 2008 to 38.3% in 2017. Similar trends were observed in all the subgroups by gender, age and household, except for living area. The proportion of LPD decreased from 46.3 to 32.8% in patients living near downtown and increased from 43.2 to 45.2% in patients living far from downtown. Further interaction effect analysis showed that among patients living far from downtown, the risk of LPD for local patients increased with age, while decreased with age for migrant patients.ConclusionAlthough the overall LPD among pulmonary TB patients declined in the past decade, the extent of reduction varied in different subgroups. The elderly local and young migrant patients living far from downtown are the most vulnerable groups to LPD in Wuhan, China.

Spatiotemporal Changes in Pulmonary Tuberculosis Incidence in a Low-Epidemic Area of China in 2005-2020: Retrospective Spatiotemporal Analysis.

In China, tuberculosis (TB) is still a major public health problem, and the incidence of TB has significant spatial heterogeneity. This study aimed to investigate the temporal trends and spatial patterns of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in a low-epidemic area of eastern China, Wuxi city, from 2005 to 2020. The data of PTB cases from 2005 to 2020 were obtained from the Tuberculosis Information Management System. The joinpoint regression model was used to identify the changes in the secular temporal trend. Kernel density analysis and hot spot analysis were used to explore the spatial distribution characteristics and clusters of the PTB incidence rate. A total of 37,592 cases were registered during 2005-2020, with an average annual incidence rate of 34.6 per 100,000 population. The population older than 60 years had the highest incidence rate of 59.0 per 100,000 population. In the study period, the incidence rate decreased from 50.4 to 23.9 per 100,000 population, with an average annual percent change of -4.9% (95% CI -6.8% to -2.9%). The incidence rate of pathogen-positive patients increased during 2017-2020, with an annual percent change of 13.4% (95% CI 4.3%-23.2%). The TB cases were mainly concentrated in the city center, and the incidence of hot spots areas gradually changed from rural areas to urban areas during the study period. The PTB incidence rate in Wuxi city has been declining rapidly with the effective implementation of strategies and projects. The populated urban centers will become key areas of TB prevention and control, especially in the older population.

Spatial-temporal analysis of pulmonary tuberculosis in Hubei Province, China, 2011-2021.

Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is an infectious disease of major public health problem, China is one of the PTB high burden counties in the word. Hubei is one of the provinces having the highest notification rate of tuberculosis in China. This study analyzed the temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of PTB in Hubei province for targeted intervention on TB epidemics. The data on PTB cases were extracted from the National Tuberculosis Information Management System correspond to population in 103 counties of Hubei Province from 2011 to 2021. The effect of PTB control was measured by variation trend of bacteriologically confirmed PTB notification rate and total PTB notification rate. Time series, spatial autonomic correlation and spatial-temporal scanning methods were used to identify the temporal trends and spatial patterns at county level of Hubei. A total of 436,955 cases were included in this study. The total PTB notification rate decreased significantly from 81.66 per 100,000 population in 2011 to 52.25 per 100,000 population in 2021. The peak of PTB notification occurred in late spring and early summer annually. This disease was spatially clustering with Global Moran's I values ranged from 0.34 to 0.63 (P< 0.01). Local spatial autocorrelation analysis indicated that the hot spots are mainly distributed in the southwest and southeast of Hubei Province. Using the SaTScan 10.0.2 software, results from the staged spatial-temporal analysis identified sixteen clusters. This study identified seasonal patterns and spatial-temporal clusters of PTB cases in Hubei province. High-risk areas in southwestern Hubei still exist, and need to focus on and take targeted control and prevention measures.

Trends of Rifampicin Resistance in Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis: A Longitudinal Analysis Based on Drug Resistance Screening in Eastern China Between 2015 and 2019.

To understand the trend of overall rifampicin resistance rates for tuberculosis in Zhejiang Province between 2015 and 2019. The basic demographic information of patients with tuberculosis who were screened for drug resistance in Zhejiang Province between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2019 was collected through the national Tuberculosis Information Management System. The data were processed and analyzed using IBM SPSS 26.0 and GeoDa 1.14 software. The total rifampicin resistance rate was 5.9% in 53,893 validated cases of drug resistance screening conducted in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in Zhejiang Province during the study period. There was a decreasing trend in the rifampicin resistance rate in both initial and re-treated patients (P<0.001), but the rifampicin resistance rate was higher in re-treated TB patients than in TB patients receiving their initial treatment (11.4% vs 4.2%). The rate of drug resistance steadily decreased in all prefectures, and there was a significant upward trend in the use of the Xpert MTB/RIF rapid assay. An increasing trend was also identified in the rate of rifampicin and ofloxacin co-resistance (P<0.001). The overall rate of rifampin resistance in patients with tuberculosis in Zhejiang Province in the past five years has shown a decreasing trend, but the rate of resistance to ofloxacin was high. Resistance testing to fluoroquinolones should be carried out as early as possible in patients whose diagnosis results indicate rifampin resistance, and more effective second-line treatment plans should be developed based on the results of this testing.

The association between air pollutants, meteorological factors and tuberculosis cases in Beijing, China: A seven-year time series study

BackgroundTuberculosis (TB) is a severe public health problem globally. Previous studies have revealed insufficient and inconsistent associations between air pollutants, meteorological factors and TB cases. Yet few studies have examined the associations between air pollutants, meteorological factors and TB cases in Beijing. ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to explore the impact of air pollutants and meteorological factors on TB in Beijing, and to provide novel insights into public health managers to formulate control strategies of TB. MethodsData on the daily case of TB in Beijing during 2014–2020 were obtained from Chinese tuberculosis information management system. Concurrent data on the daily PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, CO and O3, were obtained from the online publication platform of the Chinese National Environmental Monitoring Center. Daily average temperature, average wind speed, relative humidity, sunshine duration and total precipitation were collected from the China Meteorological Science Data Sharing Service System. A distributed lag non-linear model was fitted to identify the non-linear exposure-response relationship and the lag effects between air pollutions, meteorological factors and TB cases in Beijing. ResultsIn the single-factor model, the excess risk (ER) of TB was significantly positively associated with every 10 μg/m3 increase in NO2 in lag 1 week (ER: 1.3%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.4%, 2.3%) and every 0.1 m/s increase in average wind speed in lag 5 weeks (ER: 0.3%; 95% CI: 0.1%, 0.5%), and was negatively associated with every 10 μg/m3 increase in O3 in lag 1 week (ER: −1.2%; 95% CI: −1.8%, −0.5%), every 5 °C increase in average temperature (ER: −1.7%; 95% CI: −2.9%, −0.4%) and every 10% increase in average relative humidity (ER: −0.4%; 95% CI: −0.8%, −0.1%) in lag 10 weeks, respectively. In the multi-factor model, the lag effects between TB cases and air pollutants, meteorological factors were similar. The subgroup analysis suggests that the effects of NO2, O3, average wind speed and relative humidity on TB were greater in male or labor age subgroup, while the effect of CO was greater in the elderly. In addition, no significant associations were found between PM2.5, SO2, sunshine duration and TB cases. ConclusionOur findings provide a better understanding of air pollutants and meteorological factors driving tuberculosis occurrence in Beijing, which enhances the capacity of public health manager to target early warning and disease control policy-making.

Development and Application of a Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Case Management System - Yunnan Province, China, 2017-2020.

IntroductionTreatment and case management of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a significant challenge in tuberculosis (TB) control and prevention. This pilot study aims to apply and test a new electronic information system in order to help bolster case management of MDR-TB.MethodsThe MDR-TB Case Management System (CMS) was developed and piloted in the Yunnan Tuberculosis Clinical Center (TCC) in 2017. Next, 5 sites in Yunnan were randomly selected and sampled as pilots in 2018. The real-time regular follow-up rate (RFUR) was calculated for pilot sites. Loss to follow-up (LTFU) rates of MDR-TB treatment cohorts between pilot and non-pilot sites were compared by a chi-square test. LTFU for MDR-TB treatment cohorts was then assessed by univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression.ResultsThe average regular follow-up rate was 90.7% in TCC and 73.7% in five other pilot sites of Yunnan Province respectively. The average LTFU rate for pilot sites (9.0%) was lower than non-pilot sites (20.6%, P<0.01). The risk of LTFU during MDR-TB treatment reduced 61.7% in CMS pilot cases (adjusted odds ratio: 0.38, 95% confidence interval: 0.23–0.60) compared with non-pilot cases.ConclusionsAs a significant supplement to the Tuberculosis Information Management System, the CMS strengthened the collection, analysis, and utilization of strategic information for MDR-TB cases. The system improved case management by embedding it as a tool of the Comprehensive Supportive Care service model.

A Whole-Genome Sequencing-Based Study to Delineate the Risk and Characteristics of Tuberculosis Transmission in an Insular Population Over 10 Years in Shanghai.

BackgroundTuberculosis (TB) has remained a tough problem in China. This study aims to identify the risk of tuberculosis transmission and to assess its characteristics.MethodsWe performed a molecular epidemiological study for patients with culture-positive Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) in Shanghai, from 2009 to 2018. Demographic information was obtained from the Tuberculosis Information Management System. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was conducted with a threshold of 12 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to distinguish the genomic cluster. To analyze the characteristics of TB transmission, the contact investigation for clustered cases was performed.ResultsIn total, 94 (27.25%) of the 345 enrolled patients were grouped into 42 genomic clusters, indicating local transmission of M. tuberculosis strains. Compared to a health system delay <14 days, patients with a health system delay ≥14 days [adjusted odds ratios (AOR) = 2.57, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.34–4.95] were more likely to be clustered. Patients under 65 years old (AOR = 3.11, 95% CI: 1.76–5.49), residents (AOR = 2.43, 95% CI: 1.18–4.99), and Beijing genotype strains (AOR = 3.35, 95% CI: 1.32–8.53) were associated with increased risk of clustering. Interestingly, patients with resistance to isoniazid (AOR = 2.36, 95% CI: 1.15–4.88) had a higher risk of transmission. Sixteen confirmed/probable epidemiological links were identified. Local transmission of imported cases and household transmission were prominent.ConclusionHealth system delay is a crucial factor for TB transmission. Patients with resistance to isoniazid should be priority targets for contact investigation to reduce transmission.

Evaluation of Mobile Application for the Management of Tuberculosis Patients in Tianjin During 2019-2020.

PurposePoor tuberculosis (TB) medication adherence increases the risk of treatment failure and development of drug-resistant TB, while universal implementation of directly observed therapy (DOT) is not feasible in China. EHealth technologies were reported to be promising patient-centered tools for improving adherence. However, only pilot studies have assessed patients’ experiences, and the results were discrepant.Patients and MethodsThis prospective-cohort study was conducted among TB patients at the outpatient department from 3 March 2019 to 30 May 2020 in Tianjin, China. Data were downloaded from the Tuberculosis Doctor App and TB Information Management System (TBIMS) and merged them by the TBIMS notification number. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the factors associated with regular drug-intake. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated with and without adjustment for age, gender, ethnicity and occupation.ResultsRevisit examination was more regularly and frequently in APP group than non-APP group. In APP group, 33.28% patients were regular drug-intake. The whole drug-intake rate was 84.84%. Tuberculosis pleurisy (aOR: 0.42, 95CI%=0.26–0.69) and retreated patients (aOR: 0.40, 95CI% =0.27–0.59) were more likely to have poor medication compliance. Local residents tend to have better medication compliance (aOR: 1.80, 95CI% =1.16–2.79).ConclusionAPP could improve TB patients’ revisit examination adherence. Medication adherence was poor in tuberculosis pleuritis and retreated patients, while local residents tend to have better medication adherence. To make full use of the mobile application in TB patient management, more incentive measures should be adopted for patients and doctors, respectively.

Comparison of Delay in Tuberculosis Diagnosis Between Migrants and Local Residents in an Eastern County of China: An Analysis of the Electronic Data Between 2015 and 2019.

Introduction: China continues to rank among one of the countries with the highest number of tuberculosis (TB) cases globally. Migrants are a particularly at-risk subgroup for TB and pose a challenge for case management in contemporary China. The early diagnosis and treatment of patients with TB are pivotal for effective TB control. This study investigates the delay in the TB diagnosis of migrants as compared with residents, to provide an evidence base for improved case detection and the better management of migrant patients with TB.Materials and Methods: The data was collected from the Tuberculosis Information Management System (TBIMS) (2015–2019) in an eastern county of China. The total diagnostic delay, consisting of patient delay and health system delay, is defined as the interval between the onset of TB symptoms and the confirmation of TB diagnosis in the designated TB hospital. The comparison of the delay in the TB diagnosis between migrants and residents was conducted using a Mann-Whitney U-test and chi-square test. The difference in the delay curves between these two groups was examined using a log-rank test.Results: Of 2,487 patients with TB, 539 (22%) were migrants. The migrants tended to be younger, presented with less severe conditions, received an initial diagnosis at prefectural and above-level hospitals. Compared with the local patients with TB, the migrant patients with TB had a longer median total diagnostic delay (30 vs. 9, P = 0.000) and a higher proportion of patients with this delay >28 days (52 vs. 13%, P = 0.000). Similarly, the migrant patients with TB also had a longer median patient delay (13 vs. 9, P = 0.000) and a higher proportion of patients with this delay >14 days (47 vs. 30%, P = 0.000), longer median health system delay (9 vs. 0, P = 0.000), and a higher proportion of patients with this delay >14 days (42 vs. 0.5%, P = 0.000) than the local patients with TB. The survival curves of delay showed that the longer the time interval was, the more likely the migrant patients with TB were to be diagnosed (P < 0.05).Conclusions: Diagnosis is significantly delayed among migrant patients with TB. Our study highlights the importance of early screening and diagnosis for TB especially among migrants, to improve access and ensure better management for all patients with TB.

Incidence trend and epidemiological characteristics of pulmonary tuberculosis in Anhui, 2011–2020

Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in Anhui province from 2011 to 2020 and provide evidence for the development of TB control strategy in the 14th Five-Year Plan period Methods By using descriptive epidemiology method, the population, space and time distributions and incidence trend of TB in Anhui 2011 to 2020 were analyzed based on the data from TB information management system. Results From 2011 to 2020, a total of 324 916 cases of pulmonary TB were registered in Anhui, the average annual registered incidence rate was 52.60/100 000, showing a significant decline trend (trend χ2=3562.203, P Conclusion TB control had achieved remarkable success in Anhui, but the case finding of pulmonary TB was affected by COVID-19 epidemic in 2020. It is necessary to strengthen the TB prevention and control in men, age group ≥65 years and farmers and in winter/spring and key areas in Anhui.