Factors Associated with Missed Detection of by Automated BACTEC MGIT 960 System.

Despite the demonstration of excellent performance, mycobacterial growth in BACTEC MGIT 960 can go undetected. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of "false-negative" culture sample in Beijing and the potential factors associated with the detection failures by MGIT 960. Of the 577 sputum samples tested, 141 (24.

Prothionamide susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis using the resazurin microtitre assay and the BACTECMGIT 960 system.

Resazurin microtitre assay (RMA) has been successfully used to detect minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of both first-line and several second-line drugs in drug susceptibility testing (DST) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). In this study, we firstly compared prothionamide (PTH) susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) using resazurin microtitre assay (RMA) and MGIT. Overall, the sensitivity and specificity of RMA for detecting PTH susceptibility was 96.

Genotyping and Prevalence of Pyrazinamide- and Moxifloxacin-Resistant Tuberculosis in China, 2000 to 2010.

We investigated the prevalence, trends, and risk factors for pyrazinamide (PZA) and moxifloxacin (MOX) resistance among tuberculosis (TB) cases in China and also analyzed the population structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains. All the M. tuberculosis strains enrolled in this study were collected from the national TB prevalence surveys.

Polymorphisms in the prostaglandin receptor EP2 gene confers susceptibility to tuberculosis.

Objectives: Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is an important lipid mediator of the inflammatory immune response during acute and chronic infections. PGE2 modulates a variety of immune functions via four receptors (EP1-EP4), which mediate distinct PGE2 effects. Mice lacking EP2 are more susceptible to infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.

Feasibility of achieving the 2025 WHO global tuberculosis targets in South Africa, China, and India: a combined analysis of 11 mathematical models.

Background: The post-2015 End TB Strategy proposes targets of 50% reduction in tuberculosis incidence and 75% reduction in mortality from tuberculosis by 2025. We aimed to assess whether these targets are feasible in three high-burden countries with contrasting epidemiology and previous programmatic achievements.

Methods: 11 independently developed mathematical models of tuberculosis transmission projected the epidemiological impact of currently available tuberculosis interventions for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment in China, India, and South Africa.

Risk factors for pulmonary cavitation in tuberculosis patients from China.

Pulmonary cavitation is one of the most frequently observed clinical characteristics in tuberculosis (TB). The objective of this study was to investigate the potential risk factors associated with cavitary TB in China. A total of 385 smear-positive patients were enrolled in the study, including 192 (49.

Risk of Treatment Failure in Patients with Drug-susceptible Pulmonary Tuberculosis in China.

The objective of this prospective study of the risks of treatment failure in patients with drug-susceptible pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) was to provide reference data to help develop a disease control strategy. Participants were recruited in eight provinces of China from October 2008 to December 2010. A total of 1447 patients with drug-susceptible PTB and older than 15 years of age were enrolled.

[Spatial-temporal analysis of pulmonary tuberculosis in Shandong province, 2015].

To analyze the spatial-temporal epidemiological characteristics of active pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and sputum smear positive (SS+) PTB in Shandong province, China, 2015. The surveillance data of active PTB and SS+PTB in Shandong in 2015 were collected and analyzed by using the global and local indicators of spatial association (') for the spatial autocorrelation of PTB, and by using SaTScan forspatial-temporal clustering characteristics of PTB based on geographic information system. Totally, 31 776 active PTB cases and 8 631 SS+PTB cases were reported in Shandong in 2015, and the reported incidence rates of active PTB and SS+PTB were 33.

A practical community-based response strategy to interrupt Ebola transmission in sierra Leone, 2014-2015.

Background: The Ebola virus disease spread rapidly in West Africa in 2014, leading to the loss of thousands of lives. Community engagement was one of the key strategies to interrupt Ebola transmission, and practical community level measures needed to be explored in the field and tailored to the specific context of communities.

Methods: First, community-level education on Ebola virus disease (EVD) prevention was launched for the community's social mobilizers in six districts in Sierra Leone beginning in November 2014.

Multicenter evaluation of a real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RealAmp) test for rapid diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RealAmp) test is a novel technology for rapid diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) from sputum samples. This test has not previously been effectively evaluated. In this study, we assessed the performance of the RealAmp test for tuberculosis (TB) detection among TB suspected patients from three provincial hospitals in China.

Transregional movement of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in north China: an underlying threat to tuberculosis control.

Due to unbalanced distribution of health care resource in China, tuberculosis patients, especially multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), prefer to suffer transregional movement for seeking better health care service in the first-tier cities. Here, we performed a study on the current status of transregional movement of tuberculosis in northern China by reviewing the medical record of TB patients hospitalized in Beijing Chest Hospital from 2011 to 2015. From 2011 to 2015, the proportion of non-Beijing in-patients had increased from 55.

Rapid diagnosis of MDR and XDR tuberculosis with the MeltPro TB assay in China.

New diagnostic methods have provided a promising solution for rapid and reliable detection of drug-resistant TB strains. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of the MeltPro TB assay in identifying multidrug-resistant (MDR-) and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) patients from sputum samples. The MeltPro TB assay was evaluated using sputum samples from 2057 smear-positive TB patients.

High rate of drug resistance among tuberculous meningitis cases in Shaanxi province, China.

The clinical and mycobacterial features of tuberculous meningitis (TBM) cases in China are not well described; especially in western provinces with poor tuberculosis control. We prospectively enrolled patients in whom TBM was considered in Shaanxi Province, northwestern China, over a 2-year period (September 2010 to December 2012). Cerebrospinal fluid specimens were cultured for Mycobacterium tuberculosis; with phenotypic and genotypic drug susceptibility testing (DST), as well as genotyping of all positive cultures.

Co-endemicity of Pulmonary Tuberculosis and Intestinal Helminth Infection in the People's Republic of China.

Both pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and intestinal helminth infection (IHI) affect millions of individuals every year in China. However, the national-scale estimation of prevalence predictors and prevalence maps for these diseases, as well as co-endemic relative risk (RR) maps of both diseases' prevalence are not well developed. There are co-endemic, high prevalence areas of both diseases, whose delimitation is essential for devising effective control strategies.

The affordability for patients of a new universal MDR-TB coverage model in China.

Background: China has piloted a new model of universal coverage for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), designed to rationalize hospital use of drugs and tests and move away from fee-for-service payment towards a standard package with financial protection against catastrophic health costs.

Objective: To evaluate the affordability to patients of this new model.

Design: This was an observational study of 243 MDR-TB cases eligible for enrolment on treatment under the project.

Proportions and Risk Factors of Developing Multidrug Resistance Among Patients with Tuberculosis in China: A Population-Based Case-Control Study.

Aims: Limited studies have been conducted to explore risk factors of developing multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in China. This study aimed to find the proportions and risk factors of developing MDR-TB in China among new patients and previously treated tuberculosis (TB) patients.

Methods: A population-based case-control study was conducted from March 2010 to December 2013 in five cities in China.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Primary Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis in China.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of primary drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) and associated risk factors in China. We also explored factors contributing to the transmission of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).

Methods: A total of 2794 representative, Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from treatment-naive patients were subjected to drug susceptibility testing, and risk factors for drug-resistant TB were analyzed.

Current status of new tuberculosis vaccine in children.

Pediatric tuberculosis contributes significantly to the burden of TB disease worldwide. In order to achieve the goal of eliminating TB by 2050, an effective TB vaccine is urgently needed to prevent TB transmission in children. BCG vaccination can protect children from the severe types of TB such as TB meningitis and miliary TB, while its efficacy against pediatric pulmonary TB ranged from no protection to very high protection.

The Abbott RealTime MTB assay and the Cepheid GeneXpert assay show comparable performance for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in sputum specimens.

Objectives: To evaluate the performance of the newly developed technology Abbott RealTime MTB assay (RealTime MTB assay) for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in sputum specimens and to compare its performance with that of the Cepheid GeneXpert assay.

Methods: Sputum specimens were collected from 270 subjects suspected to have tuberculosis (TB). Smear microscopy, culture, identification, RealTime MTB, and GeneXpert assays were performed according to standard protocols.

Knowledge and attitudes about Ebola vaccine among the general population in Sierra Leone.

Background: Clinical trials of Ebola vaccine are ongoing. Before it becomes commercially available, understanding the Ebola vaccine-related knowledge and attitude of the general population is imperative to developing an effective vaccine coverage strategy.

Methods: We conducted a survey including 400 participants from general communities of the West Area Rural District, Sierra Leone.

Cost-effectiveness of a comprehensive programme for drug-resistant tuberculosis in China.

Objective: To investigate the cost-effectiveness of a comprehensive programme for drug-resistant tuberculosis launched in four sites in China in 2011.

Methods: In 2011-2012, we reviewed the records of 172 patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis who enrolled in the comprehensive programme and we collected relevant administrative data from hospitals and China's public health agency. For comparison, we examined a cohort of 81 patients who were treated for drug-resistant tuberculosis in 2006-2009.

In Vitro Activity of β-Lactams in Combination with β-Lactamase Inhibitors against Multidrug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Isolates.

The combination of β-lactams and β-lactamase inhibitors has been shown to have potent in vitro activity against multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) isolates. In order to identify the most potent β-lactam-β-lactamase inhibitor combination against MDR-TB, we selected nine β-lactams and three β-lactamase inhibitors, which belong to different subgroups. A total of 121 MDR-TB strains were included in this study.