Pooling sputum samples for the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay: A sensitive and effective screening strategy.

The sensitivity of Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) pooled testing is limited for diagnosing patients with paucibacillary tuberculosis (TB). We assessed whether pooled testing with Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra (Ultra) can be a sensitive and effective approach for mass TB screening. Conserved, frozen sputum samples, previously confirmed as positive or negative for Mycobacterium tuberculosis by individual Xpert assays, were mixed in pools of 4, 8, and 16 and then tested using Ultra.

Internal migrants as drivers of long-distance cross-regional transmission of tuberculosis in China.

Objectives: Internal migrants in China frequently travel between their hometowns and the cities where they work, creating ample opportunities for cross-regional transmission of tuberculosis (TB). The aim of this study was to explore the role of internal migrants in transmitting TB across different regions and the contribution of cross-region transmission to China's TB burden.

Methods: The study included a total of 8664 patients with TB and their Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates, collected from two large cities and three rural regions.

Transmission of tuberculosis in rural Henan, China: a prospective population-based genomic spatial epidemiological study.

The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) has declined more slowly in rural than urban areas in China, and data on the patterns of transmission and the high-risk populations in rural areas remains scarce. We conducted a population-based study of culture-positive pulmonary TB patients diagnosed in rural Linzhou City, Henan Province from July 2018 to February 2023. Genomic clusters were defined based on whole-genome sequencing and risk factors for clustering were identified by logistic regression.

Outbreak of Intermediate Species Leptospira venezuelensis Spread by Rodents to Cows and Humans in L. interrogans-Endemic Region, Venezuela.

Leptospirosis is a common but underdiagnosed zoonosis. We conducted a 1-year prospective study in La Guaira State, Venezuela, analyzing 71 hospitalized patients who had possible leptospirosis and sampling local rodents and dairy cows. Leptospira rrs gene PCR test results were positive in blood or urine samples from 37/71 patients.