Interventions to improve latent and active tuberculosis treatment completion rates in underserved groups in low incidence countries: a scoping review.

Background: People in underserved groups have higher rates of tuberculosis (TB) and poorer treatment outcomes compared with people with no social risk factors.

Objectives: This scoping review aimed to identify interventions that improve TB treatment adherence or completion rates.

Eligibility Criteria: Studies of any design focusing on interventions to improve adherence or completion of TB treatment in underserved populations in low incidence countries.

A Persistent Tuberculosis Outbreak in the UK Is Characterized by Hydrophobic -Deficient That Replicates Rapidly in Macrophages.

The genetic diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis can influence disease severity and transmissibility. To better understand how this diversity influences individuals and communities, we phenotyped M. tuberculosis that was causing a persistent outbreak in the East Midlands, United Kingdom.

Influenza vaccination for immunocompromised patients: summary of a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Vaccination of immunocompromised patients is recommended in many national guidelines to protect against severe or complicated influenza infection. However, due to uncertainties over the evidence base, implementation is frequently patchy and dependent on individual clinical discretion. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the evidence for influenza vaccination in this patient group.

Bed occupancy rates and hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile infection: a cohort study.

Background: An emergent strain (ribotype 027) of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has been implicated in epidemics worldwide. Organizational factors such as bed occupancy have been associated with an increased incidence of CDI; however, the data are sparse, and the association has not been widely demonstrated. We investigated the association of bed occupancy and CDI within a large hospital organization in the United Kingdom.

Influenza vaccination for immunocompromised patients: systematic review and meta-analysis from a public health policy perspective.

Background: Immunocompromised patients are vulnerable to severe or complicated influenza infection. Vaccination is widely recommended for this group. This systematic review and meta-analysis assesses influenza vaccination for immunocompromised patients in terms of preventing influenza-like illness and laboratory confirmed influenza, serological response and adverse events.