Viewpoint: do we have enough data to estimate the current burden of tuberculosis? The example of Bangladesh.

Objective: National tuberculosis (TB) programmes need accurate estimates of the burden of TB in order to assess case detection, and progress towards the millennium development goals (MDGs). We reviewed nationwide epidemiological data on TB burden in Bangladesh to decide whether additional information is needed, in order to assess the current burden of TB.

Method: We collected all nationwide epidemiological information: notification data for the period 1995-2004; reports of TB prevalence surveys in 1964-1966 and 1987-1988 and a tuberculin survey in 1964-1966.

[The Dutch contribution to worldwide tuberculosis control: Royal Netherlands Association for the Prevention of Tuberculosis (KNCV) Tuberculosis Foundation].

During the 1960s and 1970s tuberculosis was severely neglected in developing countries. Less than 50% of patients diagnosed were cured. However, an international breakthrough occurred in the 1980s with the excellent results from a short-course treatment: 80% cured.

Preliminary results of an operational field study to compare side-effects, complaints and treatment results of a single-drug short-course regimen with a four-drug fixed-dose combination (4FDC) regimen in South Sulawesi, Republic of Indonesia.

Setting: Health centres in the South Sulawesi Province, Republic of Indonesia.

Objectives: To compare complaints, side-effects and treatment outcome in new smear-positive patients treated with a single-drug short-course (National TB Programme (NTP)) regimen with those treated with a four-drug fixed-dose combination (4FDC) regimen.

Design: A prospective study in which patients are randomly allocated to the NTP or the 4FDC regimen.

High tuberculosis notification and treatment success rates through community participation in central Sulawesi, Republic of Indonesia.

Setting: Central Sulawesi Province, Republic of Indonesia.

Objective: To increase tuberculosis case notification and maintain high treatment success rates through community participation in a tuberculosis field programme.

Design: Comparison of tuberculosis case notification and treatment results in a community based tuberculosis programme (CBTP), before and after introduction of the programme and between areas where the programme was and was not introduced.