Active Case-Finding: An Effective Solution for Tuberculosis Detection in Vulnerable Groups - The Romanian Experience.

Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global health challenge, requiring enhanced active case finding (ACF) through screening strategies. This study assesses the effectiveness of such an approach in locating TB cases among vulnerable groups, such as homeless persons, injecting drug users, those detained in prison, and people living in rural areas.

Methods: The study focuses on socio-economic characteristics and TB detection rates across Romanian counties using modern techniques including computer-aided detection of lesions on chest X-ray and GeneXpert tests.

[Tuberculosis in Romania. Problems and solutions].

Unlabelled: The analysis of the Management Unit of the National TB Programme (NTP) database, together with the reports of the TB county managers, allowed to the authors to identify some weaknesses of TB control in Romania in the recent years and to propose the appropriate measures.

Problems: The marked decrease in the reduction of TB cases reported annually from 2,761 in 2005-2006, to 145 in 2007-2008 and the stagnation of mortality rate: 7.5 per ten thousand in 2007 and 7.