Drug-Resistant Characteristics, Genetic Diversity, and Transmission Dynamics of Multidrug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Jiangxi, China.

Purpose: In this study, we aimed to determine the transmission pattern of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) isolates circulating in Jiangxi Province with whole-genome sequencing (WGS). In addition, we also sought to describe mutational resistome of MDR-TB isolates. Patients and Methods: A total of 115 MDR-TB isolates determined by the phenotypic proportion method of drug susceptibility testing between January 2018 and December 2022 from provincial drug surveillance (DRS) in Jiangxi were included in our analysis. The demographic data and treatment history were extracted from the National TB Registry System. WGS was used to analyze the genotypic characteristics of drug resistance and transmissions. Results: About 62.6% of MDR-TB strains were isolated from cases that received previous anti-tuberculosis treatment. According to the WGS results, 96.5% were genotypic MDR-TB, and more than half of MDR-TB isolates tested were also resistant to streptomycin (59.1%), ethambutol (56.5%), and fluroquinolones (53.0%), while resistance to cycloserine and linezolid was lowest, only in two (1.7%) and one (0.9%) isolate, respectively. Ser450Leu in rpoB (57.9%), Ser315Thr in katG (74.1%), Met306Val in embB (40.0%), Lys43Arg in rpsL (75.0%), Ala90Val in gyrA (32.8%) were predominant mutant types among the rifampin-, isoniazid-, ethambutol-, streptomycin-, fluoroquinolones-resistant isolates, respectively. Lineage 2 (East Asian genotype) occurred at the highest frequency with 97 cases (84.3%), followed by lineage 4 (Euro-American genotype) with 18 cases (15.7%). Additionally, 5 clusters consisting of 10 isolates were identified in the present study, demonstrating a clustering rate of 8.7%. Conclusion: MDR/Rifampicin-Resistant (RR)-TB epidemic in this region is driven by lineage 2 clade that also show higher resistance to other anti-tuberculosis drugs. Lower cluster rates compared with a relatively higher proportion of new MDR-TB cases indicate that a considerable number of MDR-TB cases remain undiagnosed.

Digital adherence technologies to improve tuberculosis treatment outcomes in China: a cluster-randomised superiority trial.

BACKGROUND: Drug-sensitive tuberculosis treatment requires 6 months of therapy, so adherence problems are common. Digital adherence technologies might improve tuberculosis treatment outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the effect of a daily reminder medication monitor, monthly review of adherence data by the health-care provider, and differentiated care for patients with adherence issues, on tuberculosis treatment adherence and outcomes. METHODS: We did a cluster-randomised superiority trial across four prefectures in China. 24 counties or districts (clusters) were randomly assigned (1:1) to intervention or control groups. We enrolled patients aged 18 years or older with GeneXpert-positive, rifampicin-sensitive pulmonary tuberculosis, who were receiving daily fixed-dose combination treatment. Patients in the intervention group received a medication monitor for daily drug-dosing reminders, monthly review of adherence data by health-care provider, and management of poor adherence; and patients in the control group received routine care (silent-mode monitor-measured adherence). Only the independent endpoints review committee who assessed endpoint data for some participants were masked to study group assignment. Patients were followed up (with sputum solid culture) at 12 and 18 months. The primary outcome was a composite of death, loss to follow-up, treatment failure, switch to multidrug-resistant tuberculosis treatment, or tuberculosis recurrence by 18 months from treatment start, analysed in the intention-to-treat population. Analysis accounted for study design with multiple imputation for the primary outcome. This trial is now complete and is registered with ISRCTN, 35812455. FINDINGS: Between Jan 26, 2017, and April 3, 2019, 15 257 patients were assessed for eligibility and 3074 were enrolled, 2686 (87%) of whom were included in the intention-to-treat population. 1909 (71%) of 2686 patients were male, 777 (29%) were female, and the median age was 44 years (IQR 29-58). By 18 months from treatment start, using multiple imputation for missing outcomes, 239 (16% [geometric mean of cluster-level proportion]) of 1388 patients in the control group and 224 (16%) of 1298 in the intervention group had a primary composite outcome event (289 [62%] of 463 events were loss to follow-up during treatment and 42 [9%] were tuberculosis recurrence). The intervention had no effect on risk of the primary composite outcome (adjusted risk ratio 1·01, 95% CI 0·73-1·40). INTERPRETATION: Our digital medication monitor intervention had no effect on unfavourable outcomes, which included loss to follow-up during treatment, tuberculosis recurrence, death, and treatment failure. There was a failure to change patient management following identification of treatment non-adherence at monthly reviews. A better understanding of adherence patterns and how they relate to poor outcomes, coupled with a more timely review of adherence data and improved implementation of differentiated care, may be required. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Awareness of core information about tuberculosis prevention and control among residents in Jiangxi Province / 预防医学

Objective@#To investigate the core information about tuberculosis prevention and control knowledge among residents in Jiangxi Province, so as to provide insights into formulation of health education strategy for tuberculosis prevention and control. @*Methods@#Permanent residents at ages of 15 years and older were sampled from Jiangxi Province using a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling method from January to June 2021. Participants' demographic features and access to health education for tuberculosis prevention and control were collected through questionnaires, and the awareness of core information about tuberculosis prevention and control was investigated according to Key Points for Core Information and Knowledge about Tuberculosis Prevention and Control (2016 version). @*Results@#A total of 1 280 questionnaires were allocated, and 1 217 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective recovery rate of 95.08%. The respondents included 605 men (49.71%) and 612 women (50.29%), and had a mean age of (50.05±15.78) years. The overall awareness of core information of tuberculosis prevention and control was 80.46%, and the awareness rates of “Pulmonary tuberculosis is suspected and timely healthcare-seeking is required if you have cough or expectoration for more than 2 weeks”, “Pulmonary tuberculosis is mainly transmitted via respiratory tract, and everyone is likely to be infected”, “No spit anywhere, covering mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, and wearing a mouth mask may reduce the transmission of pulmonary tuberculosis”, “Pulmonary tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease that poses a long-term damage to health” and “Most patients may be cured and others are avoided to be infected following standard whole-process treatment” were 90.22%, 86.52%, 85.95%, 80.03% and 59.57%, respectively. There were 491 respondents that were aware of all core information about tuberculosis prevention and control (40.35%), and network was the predominant route for acquiring health education about tuberculosis prevention and control (62.08%, 586/944).@*Conclusions@#The overall awareness of core information about tuberculosis prevention and control did not achieve the target set in the 13th Five-year Plan for Tuberculosis Prevention and Control, and the awareness of tuberculosis treatment-related knowledge was low.