The purpose of this handbook is to bring together in summarized form the issues, recommended strategies and practical measures involved in addressing each of the components of the WHO Stop TB Strategy. This handbook has been prepared principally for use by national TB control programme managers and staff, as well as partner organizations and professionals involved in implementing TB control activities. Readers are provided with a concise account of the essential elements of a comprehensive TB control programme and an overview of the full range of activities that need to be implemented to achieve the TB control targets set for 2015. An adequate strategy for the control of tuberculosis (TB) globally calls for a comprehensive approach to address all of the main constraints facing TB control, including emerging challenges, as well as the main risk factors influencing the incidence of TB. Consequently, the scope of activities undertaken by national TB control programmes has greatly increased

A national strategic plan (NSP) for TB is a key document that guides national authorities and stakeholders on how to comprehensively address the TB epidemic through interventions within the health and across other sectors. The NSP translates global, regional and national commitments into national and subnational targets and activities to be implemented to achieve these targets, and provides the basis for mobilizing domestic and external resources for the TB response. It outlines the overall goal(s), strategies and priority interventions, and provides guidance on how these are coordinated across sectors. This guidance is intended for use in developing standalone TB strategic plans, or TB interventions as part of multidisease or health sector plans. It describes key considerations and steps for strategic planning for TB in line with the World Health Organization’s End TB strategy, and the proposed structure of the NSP. The target audience of this publication are all stakeholders involved in national strategic planning for TB (e.g., ministry of health, other government ministries, private sector, civil society, affected communities, academic and research institutions, and technical and funding partners). The current document is an update to the 2015 Toolkit to develop a national strategic plan for TB prevention, care and control. It was developed to better align with global commitments and latest developments in TB and in public health, and builds on lessons learned from using the 2015 toolkit.

There have been calls to revisit the experiences of TB screening campaigns that were widely applied in Europe and North America in the mid-20th century, as well as more recent experiences with TB screening in countries with a high burden of the disease, and to assess their possible relevance for TB care and prevention in the 21st century. In response, WHO has developed guidelines on screening for active TB. An extensive review of the evidence has been undertaken. The review suggests that screening, if done in the right way and targeting the right people, may reduce suffering and death, but the review also highlights several reasons to be cautious. As discussed in detail in this book, there is a need to balance potential benefits against the risks and costs of screening; this conclusion is mirrored by the history of TB screening. This publication presents the first comprehensive assessment by WHO of the appropriateness of screening for active TB since the recommendations made in 1974 by the Expert Committee. However, the relative effectiveness and cost effectiveness of screening remain uncertain, a point that is underscored by the systematic reviews presented in this guideline. Evidence suggests that some risk groups should always be screened, whereas the prioritization of other risk groups as well as the choice of screening approach depend on the epidemiology, the health-system context, and the resources available. This book sets out basic principles for prioritizing risk groups and choosing a screening approach; it also emphasizes the importance of assessing the epidemiological situation, adapting approaches to local situations, integrating TB screening into other health-promotion activities, minimizing the risk of harm to individuals, and engaging in continual monitoring and evaluation. It calls for more and better research to assess the impact of screening and to develop and evaluate new screening tests and approaches.

Tuberculosis emerged as an epidemic in the 1600s, began to decline as sanitation improved in the 19th century, and retreated further when effective therapy was developed in the 1950s. TB was virtually forgotten until a recent resurgence in the U.S. and around the worldâ€"ominously, in forms resistant to commonly used medicines. What must the nation do to eliminate TB? The distinguished committee from the Institute of Medicine offers recommendations in the key areas of epidemiology and prevention, diagnosis and treatment, funding and organization of public initiatives, and the U.S. role worldwide. The panel also focuses on how to mobilize policy makers and the public to effective action. The book provides important background on the pathology of tuberculosis, its history and status in the U.S., and the public and private response. The committee explains how the U.S. can act with both self-interest and humanitarianism in addressing the worldwide incidence of TB.

This manual is designed for health professionals working in high HIV and TB prevalence countries. It summarises the characteristics of both diseases and their interactions. It concentrates particularly on the problems of diagnosis and management both in adults and children and summarises the other HIV related illnesses the clinician might encounter.

The emergence of extensively drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis, especially in countries with a high prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus, is a serious threat to global public health and jeopardizes efforts to effectively control the disease. This publication offers updated recommendations for the diagnosis and management of drug-resistant tuberculosis in a variety of geographical, economic and social settings, and the recording of data that enables the monitoring and evaluation of programs.--Publisher's description.

This textbook covers the full spectrum of tuberculosis-related topics in a comprehensive yet easy-to-follow, readily accessible format. Filling a significant gap in tuberculosis literature, it addresses tuberculosis sensu latu, mirroring the content of the London Queen Mary University tuberculosis Diploma. Covering all aspects related to this condition, from prevention, diagnosis and treatment to public and global health, the book provides a broad overview of tuberculosis management. Further, it includes a wealth of case studies and exercises, making it an essential guide for all staff involved in tuberculosis management. Written by an international and interdisciplinary panel of experts, the book appeals to a broad readership including students, postdoctoral fellows, clinicians, researchers, and nurses, as well as public health officers working in tuberculosis control programs.

It is estimated that one third of the world's population is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB)), and that each year, about 9 million people develop TB, of whom about 2 million die. Of the 9 million annual TB cases, about 1 million (11%) occur in children (under 15 years of age). Of these childhood cases, 75% occur annually in 22 high-burden countries that together account for 80% of the world's estimated incident cases. In countries worldwide, the reported percentage of all TB cases occurring in children varies from 3% to more than 25%. The Stop TB Strategy, which builds on the DOTS strategy developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Union Against TB and Lung Disease, has a critical role in reducing the worldwide burden of disease and thus in protecting children from infection and disease. The management of children with TB should be in line with the Stop TB Strategy, taking into consideration the particular epidemiology and clinical presentation of TB in children. These consensus guidelines were produced to help the National Tuberculosis Programmes on the management of tuberculosis in children.

Between 2011 and 2019, WHO has developed and issued evidence-based policy recommendations on the treatment and care of patients with DR-TB. These policy recommendations have been presented in several WHO documents and their associated annexes, including the WHO Consolidated Guidelines on Drug Resistant Tuberculosis Treatment, issued by WHO in March 2019. The policy recommendations in each of these guidelines have been developed by WHO-convened Guideline Development Groups, using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach to summarize the evidence, and formulate policy recommendations and accompanying remarks. The present WHO Consolidated Guidelines on Tuberculosis, Module 4: Treatment - Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Treatment includes a comprehensive set of WHO recommendations for the treatment and care of DR-TB. The document includes two new recommendations, one on the composition of shorter regimens and one on the use of the BPaL regimen (i.e. bedaquiline, pretomanid and linezolid). In addition, the consolidated guidelines include existing recommendations on treatment regimens for isoniazid-resistant TB and MDR/RR-TB, including longer regimens, culture monitoring of patients on treatment, the timing of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in MDR/RR-TB patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the use of surgery for patients receiving MDR-TB treatment, and optimal models of patient support and care. The guidelines are to be used primarily in national TB programmes, or their equivalents in Ministries of Health, and for other policy-makers and technical organizations working on TB and infectious diseases in public and private sectors and in the community.