Catastrophic costs incurred by tuberculosis affected households from Thailand's first national tuberculosis patient cost survey.

Tuberculosis (TB) causes an economic impact on the patients and their households. Although Thailand has expanded the national health benefit package for TB treatment, there was no data on out-of-pocket payments and income losses due to TB from patients and their household perspectives. This national TB patient cost survey was conducted to examine the TB-related economic burden, and assess the proportion of TB patients and their households facing catastrophic total costs because of TB disease.

Genomic Sequencing Profiles of in Mandalay Region, Myanmar.

This study aimed to characterize whole-genome sequencing (WGS) information of (Mtb) in the Mandalay region of Myanmar. It was a cross-sectional study conducted with 151 Mtb isolates obtained from the fourth nationwide anti-tuberculosis (TB) drug-resistance survey. Frequency of lineages 1, 2, 3, and 4 were 55, 65, 9, and 22, respectively.

Association of Health Insurance and Documentation with Stigma and Social Support Among Myanmar Migrants with Tuberculosis Before and During Thailand's Policy on Border Closure Due to COVID-19: a Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the effect of health insurance and documentation status on tuberculosis (TB)-related stigma and social support before and during Thailand's policy on border closure.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two TB clinics in Mae Sot district, a border area of Thailand. Myanmar migrants with new TB were interviewed before (between September 2019 and March 2020) and during Thailand's policy (between April 2020 and January 2021).

Whole-genome analysis of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis reveals novel mutations associated with fluoroquinolone resistance.

Multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (M/XDR-TB) remains a global public-health challenge. Known mutations in quinolone resistance-determination regions cannot fully explain phenotypic fluoroquinolone (FQ) resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). The aim of this study was to look for novel mutations in Mtb associated with resistance to FQ drugs using whole-genome sequencing analysis.

Changes in health-related quality of life and the associated factors among Myanmar migrants with tuberculosis: a cohort study.

Background: Migrants are known to be predominantly poor population which are predisposing to social and health problems, particularly infectious diseases including tuberculosis (TB). TB itself and effect of treatment may further result in substantial morbidity and lowering the quality of life. This study aimed to assess the changes in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) within six months of anti-TB treatment initiation, and the associated factors in Myanmar migrants under anti-TB treatment within this border area.

Clusters of Drug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Detected by Whole-Genome Sequence Analysis of Nationwide Sample, Thailand, 2014-2017.

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB), pre-extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (pre-XDR TB), and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB) complicate disease control. We analyzed whole-genome sequence data for 579 phenotypically drug-resistant M. tuberculosis isolates (28% of available MDR/pre-XDR and all culturable XDR TB isolates collected in Thailand during 2014-2017).

Contact tracing for tuberculosis, Thailand.

Problem: Despite implementation of universal health coverage in Thailand, gaps remain in the system for screening contacts of tuberculosis patients.

Approach: We designed broader criteria for contact investigation and new screening practices and assessed the approach in a programme-based operational research study in 2017-2018. Clinic staff interviewed 100 index patients and asked them to give household and non-household contacts an invitation for a free screening and chest X-ray.

Evaluation of Proinflammatory Cytokines and Adverse Events in Healthy Volunteers upon Inhalation of Antituberculosis Drugs.

Inhalation therapy is a promising drug delivery approach for tuberculosis treatment. However, there is always concern about the safety of the dosage form by inhalation as it may induce inflammation. Developing a new dosage form for inhalation must include tests for its safety especially for the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukine (IL)-1β.

Hospital tuberculosis control activities and treatment success in Thailand during the implementation year of the admission policy for new smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients.

Objective: To demonstrate the tuberculosis (TB) control activities in hospital and treatment success rate during the implementation year of the admission policy.

Material And Method: The hospital-based survey was conducted in 12 provinces, five hospitals of each province. The medical records of hospitalized patients, with new sputum smear positive (NSS+) pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), registered between October 2008 and September 2009 were reviewed, as well as the TB control activities.

Barriers to and motivations for the implementation of a treatment programme for latent tuberculosis infection using isoniazid for people living with HIV, in upper northern Thailand.

Background: Isoniazid Preventive Therapy (IPT) has been recommended by WHO/UNAIDS for people living with HIV (PLWH) since 1993; however the uptake of IPT implementation has been very low globally. This study aims to assess the barriers to and motivations for the implementation of IPT for PLWH in upper northern Thailand, an area with a high tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) burden.

Methods: A survey was carried out via self-administered questionnaires mailed to healthcare workers (HCW) in all 95 public hospitals in the upper northern region of Thailand.

Physicians' practices regarding management of antituberculosis drug-induced hepatotoxicity.

To investigate the practices of physicians regarding the diagnosis and management of antituberculosis drug-induced hepatotoxicity (ATH), a cross sectional descriptive survey using a self-administered questionnaire with multiple choice questions was conducted among physicians who treated adult tuberculosis (TB) patients at 74 public hospitals in southern Thailand. Of the 272 questionnaires mailed, 204 (75%) were returned. Sixty-two physicians (31.

Migrant workers' occupation and healthcare-seeking preferences for TB-suspicious symptoms and other health problems: a survey among immigrant workers in Songkhla province, southern Thailand.

Background: Much of the unskilled and semi-skilled workforce in Thailand comprises migrant workers from neighbouring countries. While, in principle, healthcare facilities in the host country are open to those migrants registered with the Ministry of Labour, their actual healthcare-seeking preferences and practices, as well as those of unregistered migrants, are not well documented. This study aimed to describe the patterns of healthcare-seeking behaviours of immigrant workers in Thailand, emphasizing healthcare practices for TB-suspicious symptoms, and to identify the role of occupation and other factors influencing these behaviours.

Socio-demographic and AIDS-related factors associated with tuberculosis stigma in southern Thailand: a quantitative, cross-sectional study of stigma among patients with TB and healthy community members.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the most important infectious diseases worldwide. A comprehensive approach towards disease control that addresses social factors including stigma is now advocated. Patients with TB report fears of isolation and rejection that may lead to delays in seeking care and could affect treatment adherence.

Village health volunteer participation in tuberculosis control in southern thailand.

The study objectives were to compare the proportions of tuberculosis (TB) cases detected under a project launched in lower part of southern Thailand 1) by screener type [village health volunteer (VHV), health center staff, and hospital staff]; and 2) by region. Among 688 people with suspected TB symptoms referred to have sputum examination with or without chest radiograph, 55 (8%) were diagnosed of TB, including 44 (6%) smear-positive cases. The proportions of smear-positive cases among those screened by VHV, health center and hospital staff were 6.

Measuring stigma associated with tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS in southern Thailand: exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of two new scales.

Objective: To develop scales to measure tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS stigma in a developing world context.

Methods: Cross-sectional study of tuberculosis patients in southern Thailand, who were asked to rate their agreement with items measuring TB and HIV/AIDS stigma. Developing the scales involved exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, internal consistency, construct validity, test-retest reliability and standardized summary scores.

Are health personnel the best choice for directly observed treatment in southern Thailand? A comparison of treatment outcomes among different types of observers.

A prospective study was conducted in 24 districts in southern Thailand in 1999 with directly observed treatment, short-course strategy (DOTS) implemented to determine treatment outcomes in relation to the practical observer among 455 enrolled patients with tuberculosis. Health personnel (HP), community members (CM), family members (FM) and self-administration (SA) were initially assigned to be DOT observers in 43%, 5%, 44% and 8% of 411 analysed patients, respectively. In practice, 56% of the 379 patients with assigned observers changed their observers.

Has directly observed treatment improved outcomes for patients with tuberculosis in southern Thailand?

Objective: To validate the practice of directly observed treatment (DOT) and evaluate its effect on treatment outcomes.

Methods: This follow-up study conducted in 24 districts in southern Thailand included 411 new, smear-positive, pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients who started treatment between February and September 1999. Patients and/or their observers were interviewed about their actual DOT practice during the first 2 months of treatment.