The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease : the official journal of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
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Int. J. Tuberc. Lung Dis. · Sep 2008
Editorial CommentTuberculosis prevalence surveys: an educational series.
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This article is the first of the educational series 'Assessing tuberculosis (TB) prevalence through population-based surveys'. The series will give overall guidance in conducting cross-sectional surveys of pulmonary TB (PTB) disease. TB prevalence surveys are most valuable in areas where notification data obtained through routine surveillance are of unproven accuracy or incomplete, and in areas with an estimated prevalence of bacteriologically confirmed TB of more than 100 per 100,000 population. ⋯ Limitations of TB prevalence surveys are their inability to assess regional or geographic differences in prevalence of TB, estimate the burden of childhood TB or estimate the prevalence of extra-pulmonary TB. The cost of a prevalence survey is typically US$ 4-15 per person surveyed, and up to US$ 25 per person with radiographic screening. A survey of 50,000 people, of limited precision, would typically cost US$ 200,000-1,250,000.
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Int. J. Tuberc. Lung Dis. · Aug 2008
Comparative StudyComparison of lung morphology in COPD secondary to cigarette and biomass smoke.
To compare lung morphology in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) secondary to cigarette smoke (CS) and biomass smoke (BS). ⋯ Lengthy exposure to BS can produce emphysema and other lesions typically observed in cigarette smokers, but with a slightly different distribution. Whether the differences observed are the consequence of severity of exposure or smoke composition, or both, remains to be clarified.
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Int. J. Tuberc. Lung Dis. · Jul 2008
Drug-resistant tuberculosis and HIV in Ukraine: a threatening convergence of two epidemics?
To investigate anti-tuberculosis (TB) drug resistance rates in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, and to explore the association between the epidemics of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). ⋯ High MDR-TB rates and a positive association between MDR-TB and HIV epidemics were found in Donetsk Oblast. Urgent measures to improve HIV prevention, control of drug-resistant TB and collaboration between HIV and TB control activities need to be implemented without further delay.