TB Anywhere, TB Everywhere. The First Case of pre-Extensively Drug Resistant Tuberculosis Treated with BPaL in Italy: Challenges and Opportunities for Transborder Collaboration.

Even if in the past years new effective, safe, and orally administrable drugs are available to create shorter regimens, drug-resistant (DR) tuberculosis (TB) treatment remains a critical issue and a major challenge faced by clinicians worldwide. We present the first case of transborder pulmonary pre-extensively drug-resistant (pre-XDR)-TB treated in Italy with the bedaquiline-pretomanid-linezolid regimen. Diagnosis and treatment were started in Ukraine, and, after a month of treatment, due to the Russo-Ukrainian war, the patient moved to Italy, where the diagnosis was confirmed both by genotypic and phenotypic drug susceptibility tests, and treatment continued.

Expert views on screening for tuberculosis infection in patients commencing treatment with a biologic agent.

Objective: Many biologic agents cause some degree of immunosuppression, which can increase the risk of reactivation of tuberculosis infection (TBI). This risk is variable between individual biologics. We aimed to assess current (and recommended) clinical practice of TBI screening and treatment among patients initiating treatment with biologic agents.

Evaluating the efficacy of whole genome sequencing in predicting susceptibility profiles for first-line antituberculosis drugs.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the efficacy of whole genome sequencing (WGS) in accurately predicting susceptibility profiles, potentially eliminating the need for conventional phenotypic drug susceptibility testing (pDST) for first-line antituberculosis drugs in routine tuberculosis diagnosis.

Methods: Over the period of 2017 to 2020, 1114 Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates were collected with drug susceptibility testing conducted using the MGIT960 system and WGS performed for predicting drug resistance profiles. In addition, we implemented a new algorithm with an updated WGS workflow, omitting pan-susceptible strains from pDST.

Correction: The effect of M. tuberculosis lineage on clinical phenotype.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.

The effect of M. tuberculosis lineage on clinical phenotype.

Six lineages of Mycobacterium tuberculosis sensu stricto (which excludes M. africanum) are described. Single-country or small observational data suggest differences in clinical phenotype between lineages.

The effect of lineage on clinical phenotype.

Eight lineages of are described. Single-country or small observational data suggest differences in clinical phenotype between lineages. We present strain lineage and clinical phenotype data from 12,246 patients from 3 low-incidence and 5 high-incidence countries.

Nontuberculous mycobacteria infection and pulmonary disease in bronchiectasis.

Background: Although interest in nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infection has increased in the last decades, published data vary according to different geographical areas, diagnostic facilities and quality of study design. This study aims at assessing both prevalence and incidence of NTM infection and NTM pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) among adults with bronchiectasis, to describe patients' characteristics, therapeutic options and clinical outcomes.

Methods: Bronchiectasis adults who had been tested for NTM were enrolled at the Bronchiectasis Program of the Policlinico Hospital in Milan, Italy, from 2016 to 2018.

Tuberculosis and pharmacological interactions: A narrative review.

Even if major improvements in therapeutic regimens and treatment outcomes have been progressively achieved, tuberculosis (TB) remains the leading cause of death from a single infectious microorganism. To improve TB treatment success as well as patients' quality of life, drug-drug-interactions (DDIs) need to be wisely managed. Comprehensive knowledge of anti-TB drugs, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) parameters, potential patients' changes in absorption and distribution, possible side effects and interactions, is mandatory to built effective anti-TB regimens.

Screening for Tuberculosis in Migrants: A Survey by the Global Tuberculosis Network.

Tuberculosis (TB) does not respect borders, and migration confounds global TB control and elimination. Systematic screening of immigrants from TB high burden settings and-to a lesser degree TB infection (TBI)-is recommended in most countries with a low incidence of TB. The aim of the study was to evaluate the views of a diverse group of international health professionals on TB management among migrants.

Pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial infections and environmental factors: A review of the literature.

Background: Pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial (pNTM) infection is mainly acquired through the inhalation of bioaerosols. Nevertheless, behavioural restrictions are rarely given by clinicians to susceptible populations, in part because the available guidelines for pNTM management emphasize more diagnosis and treatment than prevention. Aim of this review is to clarify if pNTM prevention should routinely include recommendations about risk reducing behaviors.

Gauging the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tuberculosis services: a global study.

https://bit.ly/3sdHbfk

Tuberculosis treatment outcomes in a rural area of Senegal: a decade of experience from 2010 to 2019 by StopTB Italia.

Tuberculosis (TB) unevenly affects individuals across the globe, especially in rural areas of low-income countries. Aim of the study was to assess the impact of social protection to increase TB awareness on treatment outcomes among TB patients in a rural area of Senegal. The study, conducted in Fimela district (Senegal) from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2019 and the intervention started from 31 January 2013, includes activities to increase awareness, active case finding, active follow-up and social protection.

Amikacin Liposome Inhalation Suspension for Complex Lung Disease: A 12-Month Open-Label Extension Clinical Trial.

Patients with refractory complex (MAC) lung disease have limited treatment options. In the CONVERT study, amikacin liposome inhalation suspension (ALIS) added to guideline-based therapy (GBT) increased culture conversion rates versus GBT alone by Month 6. Limited data are available regarding >6-month treatment in a refractory population.

Preliminary observations on IGRA testing for TB infection in patients with severe COVID-19 eligible for immunosuppressive therapy.

COVID-19, the novel coronavirus pandemic, has already spread around the globe affecting more than 18 million people. As previously observed with other coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 deeply dysregulate the immune system eliciting respiratory failure and a state of systemic hyperinflammation in severely ill individuals. Immunotherapy is often used to downgrade the detrimental effects of the disease sustained by high-level of cytokines.

Worldwide Effects of Coronavirus Disease Pandemic on Tuberculosis Services, January-April 2020.

Coronavirus disease has disrupted tuberculosis services globally. Data from 33 centers in 16 countries on 5 continents showed that attendance at tuberculosis centers was lower during the first 4 months of the pandemic in 2020 than for the same period in 2019. Resources are needed to ensure tuberculosis care continuity during the pandemic.

Management of Drug Toxicity in Mycobacterium avium Complex Pulmonary Disease: An Expert Panel Survey.

Adverse events are frequent in nontuberculous mycobacteria pulmonary disease treatment, but evidence to support their management is scarce. An expert panel survey on management of adverse events shows consistent opinions on management of hepatoxicity, ocular toxicity, ototoxicity, tinnitus, and gastrointestinal upset. These opinions can provide assistance in individual patient management decisions.

From the past, a long way to future challenges for a greater control of tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB) and humans have coexisted for more than 40,000 years; however TB remains a global threat to human kind. The international community has developed new tools for early detection, but TB strains evolved acquiring resistance to first-line therapeutic drugs with increasing treatment challenges. Furthermore, TB has formed also an alliance with human immunodeficiency virus; in this way the poorest populations are most affected.

On tuberculosis and COVID-19 co-infection.

https://bit.ly/2Z2r5XO

Active tuberculosis, sequelae and COVID-19 co-infection: first cohort of 49 cases.

https://bit.ly/369ZGGu