Latent tuberculosis prevalence in healthcare workers in Laos: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Individuals with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) have a high risk of active infection, morbidity and mortality. Healthcare workers are a group who have increased risk of infection and onward transmission to their patients and other susceptible individuals; however, LTBI is often undiagnosed, and individuals are asymptomatic. Interferon gamma release assays (IGRA) can detect evidence of TB infection in otherwise asymptomatic individuals and are a good indication of LTBI.

Pooled testing of sputum with Xpert MTB/RIF and Xpert Ultra during tuberculosis active case finding campaigns in Lao People's Democratic Republic.

Introduction: Active case finding (ACF) of individuals with tuberculosis (TB) is a key intervention to find the 30% of people missed every year. However, ACF requires screening large numbers of individuals who have a low probability of positive results, typically <5%, which makes using the recommended molecular tests expensive.

Methods: We conducted two ACF surveys (in 2020 and 2021) in high TB burden areas of Lao PDR.

First national tuberculosis patient cost survey in Lao People's Democratic Republic: Assessment of the financial burden faced by TB-affected households and the comparisons by drug-resistance and HIV status.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) patients incur large costs for care seeking, diagnosis, and treatment. To understand the magnitude of this financial burden and its main cost drivers, the Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR) National TB Programme carried out the first national TB patient cost survey in 2018-2019.

Method: A facility-based cross-sectional survey was conducted based on a nationally representative sample of TB patients from public health facilities across 12 provinces.