Conference abstract
Implementation of a community-based intervention model to screen and detect latent tuberculosis infection in household contacts of pulmonary TB patients in Yaounde, Cameroon
Pan African Medical Journal - Conference Proceedings. 2023:18(125).03
Oct 2023.
doi: 10.11604/pamj-cp.2023.18.125.2234
Archived on: 03 Oct 2023
Contact the corresponding author
Keywords: Community-based intervention, latent tuberculosis infection, Cameroon
Oral presentation
Implementation of a community-based intervention model to screen and detect latent tuberculosis infection in household contacts of pulmonary TB patients in Yaounde, Cameroon
Mbouchong Verlaine1,&, Jules Tchatchueng1, Valerie Donkeng1, Paul Alain Tagnouokam1, Erika Londi1, Abdouramane Njoya1, Vanessa Kamtchogom1, Sara Eyangoh1, Stephane Pouzol1, Jonathan Hoffman1, Laurent Raskine2
1Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Yaoundé, Cameroun, 2Fondation Mérieux, Lyon, France
&Corresponding author
Introduction: WHO estimates that a quarter of the world’s population has Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI), and more than 50% of household contacts (HHCs) in TB index cases have LTBI. Several public health interventions can be undertaken to reduce the incidence of LTBI. Community-level interventions can be an essential strategy of WHO’s TB management. The objective was to implement a community-based intervention to screen and detect LTBI in household contacts of pulmonary TB patients in Yaounde, Cameroon.
Methods: we conducted the APRECIT project (2021-2022), a prospective and observational cohort study in two health districts in Yaounde. The intervention model implemented in this study is an “active” approach that includes screening and detection of LTBI in all HHCs of pulmonary TB cases, referral of contacts with TB-suggestive symptoms to the health facility for better screening, and referring at-risk groups to initiate preventive therapy. The team responsible for this community intervention included a trained community worker, a research assistant, and a nurse. During home visits, the nurse performed a Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) and collected blood samples. Interferon-gamma release Assays were performed for LTBI screening
Results: a total of 345 (54%) on 629 HHCs enrolled in the study, were female, median age was 18 years [8-31]. We collected 592 HHCs blood samples in which positive rates were 42.75%, 44.95%, and 58.90%, respectively using TST and TSPOT.TB and QuantiFERON. Overall, 3.3% (21/629) of HHCs were found to have signs and symptoms suggestive of TB and referred to the health facility. 42.8% (9/21) of them were diagnosed with TB. Of the 629 HHCs, 117 (19%) were at risk for TB (100 children<5 years and 17 PLWHIV). We find that 62% (72/117) initiated preventive tuberculosis treatment and 82% (52/72) completed the treatment.
Conclusion: the results of this study demonstrate the importance of a community-based intervention model for screening and detection of latent tuberculosis infection in household contacts of pulmonary TB patients. The study also provides updated data on LTBI in Yaounde, Cameroon, initiation and completion of Preventive Tuberculosis Treatment (PTT) among household contacts at risk for TB.
Implementation of a community-based intervention model to screen and detect latent tuberculosis infection in household contacts of pulmonary TB patients in Yaounde, Cameroon
Mbouchong Verlaine1,&, Jules Tchatchueng1, Valerie Donkeng1, Paul Alain Tagnouokam1, Erika Londi1, Abdouramane Njoya1, Vanessa Kamtchogom1, Sara Eyangoh1, Stephane Pouzol1, Jonathan Hoffman1, Laurent Raskine2
1Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Yaoundé, Cameroun, 2Fondation Mérieux, Lyon, France
&Corresponding author
Introduction: WHO estimates that a quarter of the world’s population has Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI), and more than 50% of household contacts (HHCs) in TB index cases have LTBI. Several public health interventions can be undertaken to reduce the incidence of LTBI. Community-level interventions can be an essential strategy of WHO’s TB management. The objective was to implement a community-based intervention to screen and detect LTBI in household contacts of pulmonary TB patients in Yaounde, Cameroon.
Methods: we conducted the APRECIT project (2021-2022), a prospective and observational cohort study in two health districts in Yaounde. The intervention model implemented in this study is an “active” approach that includes screening and detection of LTBI in all HHCs of pulmonary TB cases, referral of contacts with TB-suggestive symptoms to the health facility for better screening, and referring at-risk groups to initiate preventive therapy. The team responsible for this community intervention included a trained community worker, a research assistant, and a nurse. During home visits, the nurse performed a Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) and collected blood samples. Interferon-gamma release Assays were performed for LTBI screening
Results: a total of 345 (54%) on 629 HHCs enrolled in the study, were female, median age was 18 years [8-31]. We collected 592 HHCs blood samples in which positive rates were 42.75%, 44.95%, and 58.90%, respectively using TST and TSPOT.TB and QuantiFERON. Overall, 3.3% (21/629) of HHCs were found to have signs and symptoms suggestive of TB and referred to the health facility. 42.8% (9/21) of them were diagnosed with TB. Of the 629 HHCs, 117 (19%) were at risk for TB (100 children<5 years and 17 PLWHIV). We find that 62% (72/117) initiated preventive tuberculosis treatment and 82% (52/72) completed the treatment.
Conclusion: the results of this study demonstrate the importance of a community-based intervention model for screening and detection of latent tuberculosis infection in household contacts of pulmonary TB patients. The study also provides updated data on LTBI in Yaounde, Cameroon, initiation and completion of Preventive Tuberculosis Treatment (PTT) among household contacts at risk for TB.
