A trial of mass isoniazid preventive therapy for tuberculosis control.

Background: Tuberculosis is epidemic among workers in South African gold mines. We evaluated an intervention to interrupt tuberculosis transmission by means of mass screening that was linked to treatment for active disease or latent infection.

Methods: In a cluster-randomized study, we designated 15 clusters with 78,744 miners as either intervention clusters (40,981 miners in 8 clusters) or control clusters (37,763 miners in 7 clusters).

Eligibility for isoniazid preventive therapy in South African gold mines.

Setting: The "Thibela TB" cluster randomised trial of community-wide isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) to reduce tuberculosis incidence in the South African gold mines.

Objectives: To determine the proportion of participants eligible for IPT and the reasons and risk factors for ineligibility, to inform the scale-up of IPT.

Design: Cross-sectional survey of participants in intervention clusters (mine shafts) consenting to tuberculosis screening and assessment for eligibility to start IPT.

'Team up against TB': promoting involvement in Thibela TB, a trial of community-wide tuberculosis preventive therapy.

Objective: To describe a programme of community education and mobilization to promote uptake in a cluster-randomized trial of tuberculosis preventive therapy offered to all members of intervention clusters.

Setting And Participants: Gold mines in South Africa, where tuberculosis incidence is extremely high, despite conventional control measures. All employees in intervention clusters (mine shaft and associated hostel) were invited to enrol.