Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be an important global health problem despite significant progress since the declaration of TB as a global public health emergency by the World Health Organization in 1993. In the Region of the Americas, great progress has been made since the implementation of the Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) Strategy in the 1990?s, and later by its successor Stop TB Strategy in 2006. However, despite progress toward TB control in the Region, challenges remain.
This thematic issue of the Pan American Journal of Public Health was a joint project led by the Communicable Diseases Research Program and the Regional Tuberculosis Programme of the Communicable Diseases and Health Analysis Department, Pan American Health Organization. The research studies were carried out as part of the Structured Operational Research and Training Initiative(SORT IT), a global partnership led by the Special Program for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases(TDR) at the World Health Organization. TDR worked closely with Ministries of Health, WHO Regional and Country Offices, donors and technical agencies such as the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, and Medecins Sans Frontieres.
The issue comprises 10 original peer reviewed research articles that highlight strategies for addressing tuberculosis treatment and care in a number of countries of the Region of the Americas, and addresses specific challenges related to TB diagnostics (Peru and Mexico), TB in vulnerable populations (indigenous people in Mexico or prisoners in El Salvador), TB and cities (Honduras), TB/HIV (Brazil), multidrug resistant TB (Dominican Republic and Guatemala) and TB service delivery (Colombia and Brazil).
Interested readers are also invited to visit Public Health Panorama, the journal of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, to access a free similar supplement on tuberculosis comprising 7 additional articles.
EDITORIAL
Operational research to strengthen tuberculosis control in the Americas
[Investigación operativa para fortalecer el control de la tuberculosis en la Región de las Américas]
Francisco Becerra-Posada, Marcos A. Espinal, and John Reeder
PDF (English) | PDF (español) |
ARTÍCULOS DE INVESTIGACIÓN ORIGINAL / ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLES
Quality of tuberculosis care at different levels of health care in Brazil in 2013
[Calidad de la asistencia de la tuberculosis en los diferentes niveles de atención de salud del Brasil en el 2013]
Patricia Bartholomay, Daniele Maria Pelissari, Wildo Navegantes de Araujo,
Zaida E. Yadon, and Einar Heldal
Abstract | PDF (English) | PDF (português) |
Monitoring delays in diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in eight cities in Colombia
[Supervisión del retraso en el diagnóstico de la tuberculosis pulmonar en ocho ciudades de Colombia]
David A. Rodríguez, Kristien Verdonck, Karen Bissell, Juan José Victoria,
Mohammed Khogali, Diana Marín, and Ernesto Moreno
Abstract | PDF (English) | PDF (português) |
Use and evaluation of a line probe assay in patients with tuberculosis in Peru: 2011-2013 [Utilización y evaluación de un ensayo con sondas en línea en los pacientes con diagnóstico de tuberculosis en el Perú del 2011 al 2013]
Zully M. Puyén, Joshi Acosta, George Obregon, Edson Pacheco, Hada Ramirez,
Alberto Mendoza, Diana Marín, and Anthony D. Harries
Abstract | PDF (English) | PDF (español) |
HIV testing, antiretroviral therapy, and treatment outcomes in new cases of tuberculosis in Brazil, 2011 [Pruebas de detección del VIH, tratamiento antirretrovírico y resultados del tratamiento en casos nuevos de tubeculosis en Brasil en 2011] [Teste de HIV, terapia antirretroviral e desfechos do tratamento em novos casos de tuberculose no Brasil, 2011]
Ana Torrens, Patricia Bartholomay, Silvano Silva, Mohammed Khogali,
Kristien Verdonck, and Karen Bissell
Abstract | PDF (English) | PDF (português) |
Tuberculosis among indigenous municipalities in Mexico: analysis of case notification and treatment outcomes between 2009 and 2013 [Tuberculosis en municipios con poblaciones indígenas en México: análisis de la notificación de casos y los resultados del tratamiento del 2009 al 2013]
Brenda C. Medel Romero, Martin Castellanos Joya,
Martha Angelica Garcia Aviles, Raul Martinez Navarro, Tom Decroo,
and Rony Zachariah
Abstract | PDF (English) | PDF (español) |
Trends in tuberculosis notification and treatment outcomes in prisons: a country-wide assessment in El Salvador from 2009–2014 [Tendencias de la notificación de la tuberculosis y el resultado del tratamiento antituberculoso en prisiones: evaluación nacional en El Salvador del 2009 al 2014]
Gilberto Ayala, Julio Garay, Miguel Aragon, Tom Decroo, and Rony Zachariah
Abstract | PDF (English) | PDF (español) |
Implementation of the national tuberculosis guidelines on culture and drug sensitivity testing in Guatemala, 2013 [Ejecución de las directrices nacionales de tuberculosis sobre cultivo y antibiograma en Guatemala en el 2013]
Maritza Samayoa-Peláez, Nancy Ayala, Zaida E. Yadon, and Einar Heldal
Abstract | PDF (English) | PDF (español) |
Contrasting trends of tuberculosis in the cities of San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa, Honduras, 2005-2014 [Tendencias discordantes de tuberculosis en San Pedro Sula y Tegucigalpa, Honduras, del 2005 al 2014]
Cecilia Varela-Martínez, Zaida E. Yadon, Diana Marín, and Einar Heldal
Abstract | PDF (English) | PDF (español) |
COMUNICACIÓN BREVE / BRIEF COMMUNICATION
Culture and drug susceptibility testing among previously treated tuberculosis patients in the Dominican Republic, 2014 [Cultivo y antibiograma en pacientes previamente tratados por tuberculosis en la República Dominicana en el 2014]
Katia J. Romero Mercado, Belkys Marcelino, María Rodríguez,
Kristien Verdonck, Mohammed Khogali, and Karen Bissell
Abstract | PDF (English) | PDF (español) |
Culture and drug sensitivity testing among patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in Mexico: national data for 2009-2013 [Cultivo y antibiograma en pacientes con diagnóstico de tuberculosis pulmonar en México: datos nacionales del 2009 al 2013]
Ivonne Orejel, Martin Castellanos, Diana Marín, Alberto Mendoza,
and Anthony D. Harries
Abstract | PDF (English) | PDF (español) |