The emergency response to multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Daru, Western Province, Papua New Guinea, 2014-2017.

SETTING: A response to an outbreak of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) on Daru Island, South Fly District (SFD), Western Province, Papua New Guinea (PNG) was implemented by a national emergency response taskforce. OBJECTIVE: To describe programmatic interventions for TB in SFD and evaluate characteristics of TB case notifications, drug resistance and treatment outcomes. DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study based on routine programmatic data for all patients enrolled on TB treatment at Daru General Hospital from 2014 to 2017. RESULTS: The response involved high-level political commitment, joint planning, resource mobilisation, community engagement and strengthening TB case detection and treatment. Of 1548 people enrolled on TB treatment, 1208 (78%) had drug-susceptible TB (DS-TB) and 333 (21.5%) had MDR-TB. There was an increase in MDR-TB as a proportion of all TB. Treatment success rates increased over the study period from 55% to 86% for DS-TB, and from 70% to 81% for MDR-TB from 2014 to 2015. The 2014 case notification rate for TB in SFD was 1031/100 000, decreasing to 736/100 000 in 2017. CONCLUSION: The outbreak was stabilised through the response from the national and provincial governments and international partners. Additional interventions are needed to decrease the TB burden in Daru.

TB treatment delay associated with drug resistance and admission at Daru General Hospital in Papua New Guinea.

SETTING: Daru General Hospital, Daru Island, Papua New Guinea, where high rates of tuberculosis (TB) have been reported. Prompt diagnosis and effective treatment are needed for improving TB outcomes and to prevent nosocomial transmission. OBJECTIVE: To assess the time to treatment initiation and the risk factors associated with delayed treatment for patients started on TB treatment at Daru General Hospital from January to September 2017. DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study that entailed reviewing the records from treatment, admission, discharge and presumptive TB registers. RESULTS: The study included 360 patients on TB treatment. The median time from presentation to treatment initiation was 7 days [IQR 3-11]. Treatment was started <7 days for 215 patients (60%); however, only 16.2% commenced treatment <2 days. Risk factors for delayed treatment were diagnosis of TB as an inpatient (OR 2.67, 95% CI 1.35-5.28, P = 0.005) and having drug-resistant TB (OR 2.65, 95% CI 1.5-4.68. P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: A high proportion of TB patients commenced treatment <7 days. Inpatient status, DR-TB and lack of microbiological confirmation were associated with delays in treatment initiation. We recommend that programmes monitor the time from presentation to treatment initiation, and propose that a period of >3 days from presentation to treatment initiation be considered as delayed treatment initiation.

Successful implementation of bedaquiline for multidrug-resistant TB treatment in remote Papua New Guinea.

SETTING: Bedaquiline (BDQ) was introduced in the multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) programme in Daru in remote Papua New Guinea in 2015, along with a core package of active drug-safety monitoring (aDSM). OBJECTIVE: To assess interim results and safety of BDQ for the treatment of MDR-TB from 1 July 2015 to 31 December 2017. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort analysis of routine programme data. RESULTS: Of 277 MDR-TB patients, 77 (39%) received BDQ with a total of 8 serious adverse events including 5 (6.5%) deaths, of which 1 (1.3% QTcF prolongation, grade 3) was attributable to BDQ. Of 200 (61%) patients who did not receive BDQ, there were 17 (9%) deaths. Completeness of monitoring for the BDQ group was 90% for >5 electrocardiograms and 79% for ⩾2 cultures. In the interim result indicator analysis at month 6 in the BDQ and non-BDQ groups, there were respectively 0% and 1% lost to follow-up; 6.5% and 8.5% who died; 94% and 91% in care; and 92% and 96% with negative culture among those monitored. CONCLUSION: Early experience in Daru shows BDQ is safe and feasible to implement with aDSM with good interim effectiveness supporting the rapid adoption and scale-up of the 2019 WHO MDR-TB treatment guidelines in the programme and in similar remote settings.

A pilot model of patient education and counselling for drug-resistant tuberculosis in Daru, Papua New Guinea.

Education and counselling for people with drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) is recommended by the World Health Organization, given the arduous treatment journey. A model of education and counselling involving counsellors and peer counsellors, standard sessions and novel education tools was piloted in the high DR-TB burden context of Daru, Papua New Guinea. The pilot contributed to high retention in care, highlighting the need for investment in scalable models. Future models will need to be adapted as better tolerated regimens are introduced. A focus on patient-centred care requires prioritisation in order to meet the End TB Strategy targets.

L'éducation et le conseil aux personnes atteintes de tuberculose pharmacorésistante (DR-TB) sont recommandés par l'Organisation Mondiale de la Santé, étant donné les difficultés du parcours thérapeutique. Un modèle d'éducation et de conseil impliquant des conseillers et des pairs éducateurs, des sessions standard et de nouveaux outils d'éducation a été expérimenté dans le contexte de taux élevé de DR-TB de Daru en Papouasie Nouvelle Guinée. Ce projet pilote a contribué à un taux élevé de maintien en soins et a mis en lumière le besoin d'investir dans des modèles évolutifs. Les modèles futurs devront s'adapter aux protocoles mieux tolérés qui seront introduits. Une concentration sur les soins centrés sur le patient requiert une priorisation afin d'atteindre les objectifs de la stratégie Mettre fin à la TB.

La Organización Mundial de la Salud recomienda actividades de educación y orientación dirigidas a las personas con diagnóstico de tuberculosis farmacorresistente (DR-TB), habida cuenta de la trayectoria ardua del tratamiento. En el contexto de Daru, donde la carga de morbilidad por DR-TB es alta, se ensayó un modelo de educación y orientación. El proyecto piloto comportó la participación de consejeros, la orientación entre pares, sesiones ordinarias y nuevas herramientas pedagógicas. El proyecto contribuyó a lograr una alta retención en el servicio de atención y destacó la necesidad de inversión en modelos que se puedan ampliar. Será necesario adaptar los modelos futuros a medida que se introduzcan esquemas terapéuticos mejor tolerados. Un enfoque centrado en el paciente exige la definición de prioridades con miras a cumplir las metas de la Estrategia Fin a la Tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis treatment unmasking leprosy: management of drug-resistant tuberculosis and leprosy co-infection.

Co-infection with tuberculosis (TB) and leprosy is thought to occur infrequently, but has been reported in settings highly endemic for both infectious diseases. We report for the first time a case where treatment for multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) led to the 'unmasking' of clinically silent leprosy through the precipitation of a type-1 immunological reaction. Current treatment regimens for MDR-TB may contain a number of drugs, such as levo-floxacin and clofazimine, which also have activity against M. leprae. A treatment regimen containing drugs active against both mycobacterial species may be used to achieve cure. Individual considerations on drug-drug interactions, potential additive toxicities and other comorbidities should be taken into account.

Il est considéré que la co-infection tuberculose (TB) et la lèpre est peu fréquente, mais elle a été signalée dans des milieux très endémiques pour les deux maladies infectieuses. Nous signalons pour la première fois un cas de traitement de la TB multirésistante (MDR-TB) 'démasquant' la lèpre cliniquement silencieuse par précipitation d'une réaction immunologique de type 1. Les schémas thérapeutiques actuels pour la MDR-TB peuvent contenir un certain nombre de médicaments, comme la lévofloxacine et la clofazimine, qui ont également une activité contre M. leprae. Un régime de traitement contenant des médicaments actifs contre les deux espèces mycobactériennes peut être utilisé pour obtenir la guérison. Les considérations individuelles sur les interactions médicamenteuses, les toxicités additives potentielles et les autres comorbidités doivent être prises en compte.

Se considera que la coinfección por tuberculosis (TB) y lepra es infrecuente, pero se han informado casos de concomitancia en entornos con alta endemicidad por ambas enfermedades infecciosas. En el presente artículo se comunica por primera vez un caso de tratamiento de la TB multirresistente (MDR-TB) que desenmascaró una lepra asintomática, tras desencadenar una reacción inmunitaria de tipo 1. Las pautas actuales de tratamiento de la MDR-TB pueden comportar un cierto número de fármacos como la levofloxacina y la clofazimina, que tienen también actividad contra el Mycobacterium leprae. Con el objeto de alcanzar la curación, se puede utilizar un esquema terapéutico que contenga fármacos activos contra ambas especies de micobacterias. En cada caso, es importante tener en cuenta los aspectos de las interacciones medicamentosas, la posible toxicidad acumulada y otras afecciones concomitantes.