Tuberculosis trends in eastern Europe and the former USSR.

The aim of this paper is to assess trends in tuberculosis morbidity and mortality in the countries of Eastern Europe and the former USSR. Data on morbidity and mortality were obtained from reports of the Ministries of Health, a 1992 WHO questionnaire, national tuberculosis associations, and other sources. The quality of surveillance of tuberculosis cases differs widely between countries.

Cost-effectiveness of chemotherapy for sputum smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis in Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania.

The cost-effectiveness of chemotherapy for pulmonary sputum smear-positive tuberculosis was examined in the national tuberculosis control programmes of Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. In these three programmes, routine cure rates have exceeded 80 per cent. Average, average incremental and marginal unit costs for standard, short-course and retreatment regimens with and without hospitalization have been measured.

[BCG vaccination in West Germany?].

It is evident from follow-up studies of tuberculosis in the Netherlands (without BCG vaccination), Sweden (discontinuation of BCG vaccination since 1975) and in both parts of Germany (FRG discontinuation since 1975), as well as from the favourable tuberculosis situation in both parts of Germany (low tuberculosis incidence and very low infection risk) that general vaccination of babies is no longer warranted. For this reason the German Central Committee for Combatting Tuberculosis is considering in consultation with the Federal Bureau of Health to abstain from continuing to recommend general BCG vaccination of all newborn. BCG vaccination should be recommended only in enhanced-risk groups (children of foreign parents and children sharing their living quarters or household with a person suffering from acute, i.

Cost effectiveness of chemotherapy for pulmonary tuberculosis in three sub-Saharan African countries.

The value of programmes to control pulmonary tuberculosis in developing countries remains the subject of debate. We have examined the cost-effectiveness of chemotherapy programmes for the control of pulmonary sputum-smear-positive tuberculosis in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. Effective cure rates of 86-90% were achieved with short-course chemotherapy and of 60-66% with standard chemotherapy.