Tuberculosis and gender in a priority city in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Sex and Gender Differences in Tuberculosis Pathogenesis and Treatment Outcomes

Tuberculosis remains a daunting public health concern in many countries of the world. A consistent observation in the global epidemiology of tuberculosis is an excess of cases of active pulmonary tuberculosis among males compared with females. Data from both humans and animals also suggest that males are more susceptible than females to develop active pulmonary disease. Similarly, male sex has been associated with poor treatment outcomes. Despite this growing body of evidence, little is known about the mechanisms driving sex bias in tuberculosis disease. Two dominant hypotheses have been proposed to explain the predominance of active pulmonary tuberculosis among males. The first is based on the contribution of biological factors, such as sex hormones and genetic factors, on host immunity during tuberculosis. The second is focused on non-biological factors such as smoking, professional exposure, and health-seeking behaviors, known to be influenced by gender. In this chapter, we review the literature regarding these two prevailing hypotheses by presenting human but also experimental animal studies. In addition, we presented studies aiming at examining the impact of sex and gender on other clinical forms of tuberculosis such as latent tuberculosis infection and extrapulmonary tuberculosis, which both appear to have their own specificities in relation to sex. We also highlighted potential intersections between sex and gender in the context of tuberculosis and shared future directions that could guide in elucidating mechanisms of sex-based differences in tuberculosis pathogenesis and treatment outcomes.

Associated Factors of the Results of Pulmonary Tuberculosis Treatment During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Makassar City

BACKGROUND: A regimen directly observed treatment-short course is recommended by the World Health Organization as a strategy for controlling tuberculosis (TB). AIM: This treatment was carried out for 6 months despite the COVID-19 pandemic situation. The purpose of the study was to determine the factors associated with the treatment outcomes of pulmonary TB undergoing treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the research target was Category I pulmonary TB patients. METHOD: The type of research was observational analytic with a cohort study design. This research was conducted at the Pulmonary Center in October 2020-May 2021 involved 62 samples. RESULTS: About 75.8% (47 respondents) successfully treated and 24.2% (15 respondents) decided unsuccessful. There was a significant association between diabetes status (p = 0.014), anemia status (p = 0.035), knowledge of TB (p = 0.009), knowledge of COVID-19 (p = 0.014), and family history of COVID-19 exposure (p = 0.011) to the treatment outcomes of pulmonary TB treatment during the pandemic. CONCLUSION: Associated factors to the outcome of treatment for pulmonary TB patients undergoing TB treatment during a pandemic included diabetes mellitus status, anemia status, knowledge of TB, knowledge of COVID-19, and family history of exposure to COVID-19.

Perfil dos casos de abandono do tratamento da tuberculose em um município prioritário mineiro

Introdução:  tuberculose é uma doença milenar que ainda constitui um grande problema de saúde pública.  É legítima a necessidade de consideração das implicações sociais e epidemiológicas que a TB possui, para o alcance da sua prevenção e controle., e mesmo diante dos esforços já instituídos, o abandono do tratamento da tuberculose tem se tornado cada vez mais frequente. Objetivo: Descrever o perfil dos casos de s abandono do tratamento da tuberculose em um município prioritário mineiro, no período de 2008 a 2017, compreendendo fatores sociodemográficos, clínicos e comportamentais dos indivíduos e do tratamento. Material e Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo do tipo ecológico do tipo série temporal, realizado mediante consulta de dados secundários disponíveis no Sistema de Informações de Agravos e Notificação (SINAN). Os dados obtidos foram armazenados e consolidados para cálculo de frequência absoluta e relativa e representados nas tabelas. Resultados: Foram registrados 554 casos de abandono do tratamento de tuberculose, com predomínio do sexo masculino, faixa etária de 30 a 49 anos, pretos, com nível de escolaridade fundamental incompleto, apresentando tuberculose em forma pulmonar, HIV negativos, etilistas e usuários de droga. Entre os casos de abandono há preeminência do HIV negativo, baixa realização de testagem HIV, não realização de tratamento diretamente observado, sendo o serviço de referência especializada como a unidade de acompanhamento da condição de saúde. Conclusão: O perfil encontrado é consoante com os indivíduos de maiores taxas de incidência da doença, bem como com os mais elevados índices de mortalidade pela tuberculose em todo o território nacional. O nível de escolaridade do indivíduo apresentou-se como uma característica importante no seguimento do tratamento, assim como a realização do tratamento observado.

Perfil epidemiológico da tuberculose nas macrorregiões de saúde do estado de Minas Gerais no período de 2006 a 2016

Introdução: A tuberculose é um problema de saúde pública devido a sua ampla dispersão geográfica e por estar intimamente ligada às condições de vulnerabilidade socioeconômicas, sendo atualmente responsável pelo adoecimento de cerca de 10 milhões de pessoas no mundo. Objetivo: avaliar o perfil epidemiológico da tuberculose no período de 2006 a 2016 nas macrorregiões de saúde de Minas Gerais (MG). Material e Métodos: estudo ecológico com base em dados secundários do Sistema de Informação sobre Agravos de Notificação (SINAN) e do Sistema de Informação de Mortalidade (SIM), que visa analisar indicadores epidemiológicos da tuberculose nas macrorregiões de saúde do estado de Minas Gerais no período de 2006 a 2016. Resultados: No período estudado, foram diagnosticados 42.394 novos casos de tuberculose em Minas Gerais, com uma média de 3.854 casos/ano, sendo a forma pulmonar da doença predominante nos casos novos. Houve declínio do coeficiente de incidência geral, com valor médio de 19,1 casos / 100.000 habitantes em Minas Gerais durante o período, apresentando predomínio no sexo masculino. Quanto aos valores de encerramento de caso como cura e abandono de tratamento observou-se que o estado não alcançou as metas preconizadas pela Organização Mundial de Saúde, que são respectivamente 85% e 5%. A incidência de coinfecção HIV-Tuberculose obteve um valor máximo de 3,6 e mínimo de menos de 1 caso/100.000 habitantes. O percentual de tratamento diretamente observado foi menor que 50% na maioria das macrorregiões de saúde e no estado avaliado como um todo. O coeficiente de mortalidade oscilou ao longo do período analisado, sendo em 2016 1,25 mortes/ 100.000 habitantes. Conclusão: O perfil epidemiológico da tuberculose variou entre as macrorregiões de saúde. O número de casos novos, a mortalidade e o percentual de abandono foram relevantes, assim como o percentual de cura e tratamento diretamente observado foram abaixo do preconizado pelo Ministério da Saúde.

Characteristics of cases of tuberculosis coinfected with HIV in Minas Gerais State in 2016

This study aimed to characterize the cases of tuberculosis (TB) co-infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Minas Gerais State, Brazil, after the notification sheet modification, and to verify the association between the new variables and the treatment outcome. It is an analytical cross-sectional study with TB/HIV cases notified in the year 2016 to the Brazilian Information System for Notifiable Diseases (Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação). Descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and multiple correspondence analysis were performed to verify the association between the outcome, ageand associated diseases. Of the 180 cases, most were male (75.6%) between 30 and 49 years old (63.3%), mixed ethnicity (black and white) (49.4%), 94.4% had the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and 60.6% had pulmonary TB. The molecular test was not performed at the time of diagnosis in 70.5% of the cases. Homeless people (4.4%) and prisoners (3.9%) featured prominently among the special populations. People between 40 and 49 years old without concurrent diseases were cured in 40.0% of the cases; 18.9% abandoned the treatment due to smoking, drug abuse and mental illness in the age group between 20 and 29 years old. The deaths were associated with the age group between 30 and 39 years old and the occurrence of AIDS. The results have shown that the groups considered vulnerable (drug users, smokers and people with mental illness) abandoned the treatment, the notification upon death from AIDS in adults was late and some treatments were inadequate. The epidemiological surveillance, prevention and assistance strategies towards cases of TB/HIV must be improved in order to achieve the goal of the Brazilian National Plan to end Tuberculosis as a Public Health Problem until 2035 in the state.

Tuberculosis incidence inequalities and its social determinants in Manaus from 2007 to 2016

Background

Brazil is among the 30 countries with high-burden of tuberculosis worldwide, and Manaus is the capital with the highest tuberculosis incidence. The accelerated economic and population growth in Manaus in the last 30 years has strengthened the process of social stratification that may result in population groups that are less favored in terms of healthcare and are vulnerable to infection and illness due to tuberculosis. This study aimed to characterize inequalities associated with tuberculosis incidence in relation to the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the resident population of Manaus and to identify their determinants from 2007 to 2016.

Methods

An ecological study was conducted using the data from the Diseases Notification Information System. Tuberculosis incidence rates by population characteristics (gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic level) were calculated for each year, studied, and represented in equiplot charts. To measure the disparity of tuberculosis incidence in the resident population in Manaus, the Gini index of tuberculosis in each neighborhood was calculated based on the incidence rates of the census sectors. A thematic map was constructed to represent the spatial distribution of tuberculosis incidence inequality. Linear regression models were used to identify the relationship between the tuberculosis incidence inequality and its social determinants.

Results

From 2007 to 2016, there was an increase in the tuberculosis incidence in Manaus, together with an increase in incident inequality among genders, ethnic groups, and socioeconomic level. The incidence of tuberculosis inequality was associated with the inequalities of its possible determinants (Gini of the proportion of male population, Gini of the proportion of indigenous population, Gini of the proportion of illiteracy, Gini of income, Gini of the proportion of households connected to the water network, and Gini of the mean number of bathrooms per inhabitant), the per capita income, and the proportion of cases with laboratory confirmation.

Conclusions

Disparities in tuberculosis incidence in the resident population in neighborhoods can be explained by the sociodemographic and economic heterogeneity. Our findings recommend that public policies and tuberculosis control strategies consider differences in the determinants of tuberculosis inequality for the development of specific actions for each population group.

Tendência da mortalidade por tuberculose no estado do Paraná, Brasil – 1998 a 2012

Resumo O objetivo foi analisar a tendência da mortalidade por tuberculose no Paraná, no período de 1998 a 2012, segundo macrorregionais de saúde, sexo e faixa etária. Estudo ecológico de séries temporais, com dados do Sistema de Informações de Mortalidade do Sistema Único de Saúde (SIM/SUS). A análise da tendência dos coeficientes de mortalidade padronizados foi realizada por meio de regressão linear segmentada com identificação dos pontos com modificação da tendência. Houve 847 mortes de residentes no Paraná, no período. Inicialmente, a tendência foi decrescente para o estado, com posterior incremento significativo apenas para a macrorregional Leste. A mortalidade por tuberculose apresentou tendência crescente para as faixas etárias de 20 a 39 anos e 40 a 49 anos, e para o sexo masculino. A tendência crescente da mortalidade por tuberculose, observada a partir de 2010, é um alerta para gestores aprimorarem o atendimento nos diversos níveis de atenção à saúde.

Occurrence of tuberculosis cases in Crato, Ceará, from 2002 to 2011: a spatial analisys of specific standards

OBJECTIVE

to analyze the spatial distribution of tuberculosis in Crato, Ceará, Brazil, from 2002 to 2011, aiming to check for a point pattern.

METHODS

This is an ecological, temporal trend and hybrid design study, with a quantitative approach. A total of 261 cases of tuberculosis were geo-referenced and 20 (7.1%) were considered as losses due to the lack of address. The profile of patients in 10 years of study was in accordance with the following pattern: men aged between 20 and 59 years, with low schooling, affected by the pulmonary form of tuberculosis and who were cured from the disease.

RESULTS

The analysis of the spatial distribution of tuberculosis points out that in the period of study, new cases of the disease were not distributed on a regular basis, indicating a clustered spatial pattern, confirmed by the L-function. The map with the density of new cases estimated by the Kernel method showed that the "hot" areas are more concentrated in the vicinity of the central urban area.

CONCLUSION

The study allowed pointing out areas of higher and lower concentration of tuberculosis, identifying the spatial pattern, but it also recognized that the disease has not reached all of the population groups with the same intensity. Those who were most vulnerable were the ones who lived in regions with higher population densities, precarious living conditions, and with intense flow of people.

First insight into the molecular epidemiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Santa Catarina, southern Brazil

Molecular epidemiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is useful for understanding disease transmission dynamics, and to establish strategic measures for TB control and prevention. The aim of this study was to analyze clinical, epidemiological and molecular characteristics of MTBC clinical isolates from Santa Catarina state, southern Brazil. During one-year period, 406 clinical isolates of MTBC were collected from Central Laboratory of Public Health and typed by spoligotyping. Demographic and clinical data were collected from the Brazilian National Mandatory Disease Reporting System. The majority of cases occurred in highest population densities regions and about 50% had some condition associated with TB. Among all isolates, 5.7% were MDR, which showed association with drug addiction. LAM was the most predominant lineage with 47.5%, followed by the T superfamily with 25.9% and Haarlem with 12.3%. The MST showed two major groups: the first was formed mainly by the LAM lineage and the second was mainly formed by the T and Haarlem lineages. Others lineages were distributed in peripheral positions. This study provides the first insight into the population structure of M. tuberculosis in SC State. Spoligotyping and other genotyping analyses are important to establish strategic measures for TB control and prevention.

The adoption of a new diagnostic technology for tuberculosis in two Brazilian cities from the perspective of patients and healthcare workers: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

This article presents the qualitative component linked to a larger study of implementation of the Xpert™ MTB/Rif technology in two Brazilian cities. Despite intrinsic advantages of new health technologies, its introduction can be disruptive to existing routines, and it is thus important to understand how these innovations are perceived by the different groups involved in its regular use.

METHODS

This study was based on semi-structured interviews with patients, lab technicians, health care workers and managers involved with diagnosis and care of Tuberculosis (TB). The interviews had their content analyzed in order to abstract the different perspectives for the various actors.

RESULTS

For patients the changes were not perceived as significant, since their greatest concerns were related to treatment and the stigma associated with TB. The professionals in general welcomed the new technique, which dramatically decreases the workload, time and reliability of diagnosis, in their view. However, we noted difficulties with the concomitant implementation of new IT technology for recording and reporting test results, which negatively impacted the time necessary to get lab diagnosis to physicians.

CONCLUSIONS

Through this analysis we detected some bottlenecks in the surrounding environment, not necessarily linked to the technology itself but which could hamper considerably its advantages.

Profile and follow-up of patients with tuberculosis in a priority city in Brazil

OBJECTIVE To analyze the cases of tuberculosis and the impact of direct follow-up on the assessment of treatment outcomes. METHODS This open prospective cohort study evaluated 504 cases of tuberculosis reported in the Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação (SINAN - Notifiable Diseases Information System) in Juiz de Fora, MG, Southeastern Brazil, between 2008 and 2009. The incidence of treatment outcomes was compared between a group of patients diagnosed with tuberculosis and directly followed up by monthly consultations during return visits (287) and a patient group for which the information was indirectly collected (217) through the city's surveillance system. The Chi-square test was used to compare the percentages, with a significance level of 0.05. The relative risk (RR) was used to evaluate the differences in the incidence rate of each type of treatment outcome between the two groups. RESULTS Of the outcomes directly and indirectly evaluated, 18.5% and 3.2% corresponded to treatment default and 3.8% and 0.5% corresponded to treatment failure, respectively. The incidence of treatment default and failure was higher in the group with direct follow-up (p < 0.05) (RR = 5.72, 95%CI 2.65;12.34, and RR = 8.31, 95%CI 1.08;63.92, respectively). CONCLUSIONS A higher incidence of treatment default and failure was observed in the directly followed up group, and most of these cases were neglected by the disease reporting system. Therefore, effective measures are needed to improve the control of tuberculosis and data quality.

Investigating gender disparities in the profile and treatment outcomes of tuberculosis in Ebonyi state, Nigeria

SUMMARY Globally, twice as many men as women are being diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) annually. Little is known about gender differentials in TB in Africa. A retrospective cohort analysis of routine data was conducted on adult TB patients treated between 2011 and 2012 in two large healthcare facilities in Nigeria. Gender differences in their demographic characteristics and treatment outcomes were analysed accordingly. Of 1668 TB patients enrolled, the male:female ratio was 1.4:1. The mean ages of males and females were 40.2 ± 14.7 and 36.1 ± 14.6 years, respectively (t test 6.62, P < 0.001). Male gender was associated with a higher failure to smear convert after 2 months (21.8% vs. 17.5%, P = 0.06) and 5 months (4.3% vs. 1.5%, P = 0.02) of treatment for smear-positive TB patients. Moreover, men were more likely than women to fail treatment (2.2% vs. 0.7%, P = 0.01). No significant differences exist in the treatment success rates between women and men (78.2% vs. 74.5%, P = 0.08). Adjusted analyses showed significant association between being an urban male and a HIV-infected female with unsuccessful outcome adjusted by socio-demographic and clinical factors. We found that gender disparities exist in TB profile and treatment outcomes in Nigeria and gender-specific strategies are needed to optimize TB management.

Association of serum levels of iron, copper, and zinc, and inflammatory markers with bacteriological sputum conversion during tuberculosis treatment

Iron, copper, and zinc are key micronutrients that play an important role in the immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The present study aimed to evaluate the association between serum levels of those micronutrients, inflammatory markers, and the smear and culture conversion of M. tuberculosis during 60 days of tuberculosis treatment. Seventy-five male patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (mean age, 40.0 ± 10.7 years) were evaluated at baseline and again at 30 and 60 days of tuberculosis treatment. Serum levels of iron, copper, zinc, albumin, globulin, C-reactive protein, and hemoglobin, and smear and cultures for M. tuberculosis in sputum samples were analyzed. Compared to healthy subjects, at baseline, patients with PTB had lower serum iron levels, higher copper levels and copper/zinc ratio, and similar zinc levels. During the tuberculosis treatment, no significant changes in the serum levels of iron, zinc, and copper/zinc were observed. Lower serum copper levels were associated with bacteriological conversion in tuberculosis treatment (tuberculosis-negative) at 30 days but not at 60 days (tuberculosis-positive). C-reactive protein levels and the C-reactive protein/albumin ratio were lower in tuberculosis-negative patients than in tuberculosis-positive patients at 30 and 60 days after treatment. Albumin and hemoglobin levels and the albumin/globulin ratio in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis increased during the study period, regardless of the bacteriological results. High serum globulin levels did not change among pulmonary tuberculosis patients during the study. Serum copper levels and the C-reactive protein/albumin ratio may be important parameters to evaluate the persistence of non-conversion after 60 days of tuberculosis treatment, and they may serve as predictors for relapse after successful treatment.

Molecular assessment, drug-resistant profile, and spacer oligonucleotide typing (spoligotyping) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains from Tamaulipas, México

BACKGROUND

Tuberculosis remains a serious global health problem involving one-third of the world population. A wide diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains cause about 1.5 million deaths/year worldwide, but in developing countries, the genetic diversity of M. tuberculosis strains remains largely unknown. We conducted a first insight into the population diversity of M. tuberculosis strains from Tamaulipas, Mexico.

METHODS

Seventy-two M. tuberculosis strains were identified and genetic diversity determined by spoligotyping. Drug sensibility testing and punctual mutations in inhA, ahpC, rpoB, and katG genes were assessed.

RESULTS

Spoligotyping analysis showed a higher prevalence of LAM9 > T1 > Haarlem3 subfamilies among 53 spoligotype patterns. Unexpectedly, five Beijing strains conforming four unique spoligopatterns were recovered. The more frequently isolated strains (LAM9 and T1), but none of the Beijing strains, were found resistant to INH or RIF. Also, no drug resistance was found among Haarlem3 isolates. The katG(315) gene mutation was found in 83% of INH-resistant strains, whereas rpoB(526) were associated in only 43% of RIF M. tuberculosis drug-resistant strains.

CONCLUSIONS

This and other studies report a high rate of orphan spoligotypes, which highlights the need for genotyping implementation as a routine technique for better understanding of M. tuberculosis strains in developing countries such as Mexico.

A ocorrência da tuberculose em um distrito administrativo do Município de São Paulo

O objetivo do estudo foi caracterizar a situação clínica e epidemiológica dos casos de tuberculose no distrito administrativo do Capão Redondo, Município de São Paulo, para o período de 2000 a 2009. Tratou-se de uma série histórica que utilizou dados secundários do Tbweb. Foram realizadas análises descritivas das variáveis: ano da notificação, sexo, faixa etária, escolaridade, tipo de caso, forma clínica, sorologia para o HIV, tipo de supervisão e desfecho do caso. Observou-se predomínio no sexo masculino, adultos jovens, caso novo e forma pulmonar, sendo que 10% dos casos estavam infectados pelo HIV. A interpretação dos resultados apresentados evidenciou que as metas propostas para o controle da tuberculose ainda não foram alcançadas no que se refere à cura e ao abandono do tratamento. No entanto, observaram-se esforços dos serviços de saúde no controle da doença por meio do aumento da cobertura do tratamento supervisionado.

Gender differences in treatment outcomes of tuberculosis patients in Taiwan: a prospective observational study

Gender disparities in tuberculosis (TB) cases are reported worldwide, and socio-cultural factors have been proposed as possible causes. To date, gender differences in treatment outcomes of TB patients remain controversial. In this prospective observational study, newly diagnosed, culture-proven TB patients from six hospitals in Taiwan were enrolled for analysis. Gender differences in demographic characteristics and treatment outcomes, including sputum conversion and on-treatment mortality, were analysed accordingly. From January 2007 through to December 2009, a total of 1059 patients were enrolled, including 819 (77.3%) males and 240 (22.7%) females. The ratio of male gender was around 50 ~ 60% in TB patients below 35 years and >80% for those older than 65 years. When compared with the female patients, the male patients were older, more likely to have the habit of smoking, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, malignancy and liver cirrhosis, and more likely to present with haemoptysis, body weight loss and pleural effusion. Regarding treatment outcomes, male gender is associated with a lower 2-month sputum culture conversion rate (78.8% vs. 89.3%, p 0.002) and higher on-treatment mortality (21.1% vs. 12.1%, p 0.002). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated significantly higher mortality in the men (p 0.005). In multivariate analysis, male gender was an independent risk factor for 2-month sputum culture un-conversion (OR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.12-3.41). Our findings suggest that male gender is associated with older age, more co-morbidities and worse treatment outcomes. Gender-specific strategies, including active case finding in elderly women and smoking cessation in male patients, are warranted to optimize TB management.

Delay and completion of tuberculosis treatment: a cross-sectional study in the West Midlands, UK

BACKGROUND

TB remains a significant problem in the UK with the West Midlands having the highest incidence after London. Treatment is usually for a minimum of 6 months and requires a high level of compliance. We investigated potential determinants of delays and completion of treatment for tuberculosis (TB) in the West Midlands, UK.

METHODS

We used data on 4840 patients with TB in the West Midlands from the Enhanced Tuberculosis Surveillance database from 1 January 2005 to 1 October 2010. We used regression models to investigate the cross-sectional association between sociodemographic and clinical risk factors and the timeliness and completion of TB treatment.

RESULTS

Patients with TB waited 82 days on average from symptom onset to treatment initiation. Female patients spent 6% longer time than males before receiving treatment [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2-11.6%, P = 0.015]. Asian/Asian British patients were 11 times more likely to complete treatment than White patients (adjusted odds ratio: 11.4, 95% CI: 1.31-100.3, P = 0.028).

CONCLUSIONS

Females in the West Midlands took longer time to receive TB treatment than males, representing a health inequality that could be addressed through gender-sensitive awareness raising programmes. White patients were less likely to complete treatment than Asian/Asian British patients; additional support is needed in this group.