The influence of the Ebola outbreak on presumptive and active tuberculosis in Bombali District, Sierra Leone
This was a cross-sectional study and retrospective cohort analysis of treatment outcomes
Abstract
Objective
To compare the number of patients with presumptive tuberculosis (TB), the number of patients registered with TB (including testing for the human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] and initiation on antiretroviral therapy [ART]) and treatment outcomes during the pre-Ebola, Ebola and post-Ebola disease outbreak periods between 2013 and 2016. Design: This was a cross-sectional study and retrospective cohort analysis of treatment outcomes.
Conclusion
During the Ebola outbreak, there were decreases in the number of presumptive TB patients and in the proportions of patients diagnosed with smear-positive TB and tested for HIV. The initiation of ART in HIV-infected TB patients and treatment outcomes remained acceptable. Pre-emptive actions are needed to maintain adequate control activities in future outbreaks.
This research was supported by the UK Department for International Development’s Operational Research Capacity Building Programme led by the International Union Against TB and Lung Disease (The Union)
Citation
Bah OM, Kamara HB, Bhat P, Harries AD, Owiti P, Katta J, Foray L, Kamara MI, Kamara BO. The influence of the Ebola outbreak on presumptive and active tuberculosis in Bombali District, Sierra Leone. Public Health Action. 2017;7(Suppl 1):S3–9.