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Tuberculosis: renewed challenge in Brazil

Abstract

This article reviews tuberculosis control actions performed over the last decade, at a global level. The perspectives for the fulfillment of the goals of the new Global Tuberculosis Elimination Plan are described, where the insertion of social protection (Pillar 2) and research (Pillar 3) will play an innovative and strategic role, especially in high-burden countries, like Brazil.

Keywords:
Research; Tuberculosis; Strategy; Diagnosis; Prevention; Treatment

For millennia, tuberculosis (TB) remains a public health problem11. Bertolli Filho C. História social da tuberculose e do tuberculoso: 1900-1950. Rio de Janeiro: Editora FIOCRUZ , 2001. 125p.

2. Donoghue HD. Palaeomicrobiology of Tuberculosis. In: Paleomicrobiology. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2008. p. 75-97.
-33. World Health Organization. Global tuberculosis report 2016. Geneva: WHO; 2016.. Between 2000 and 2015, at the global level, 49 million patients survived through strategies that sought greater performance in TB diagnosis and treatment in high-burden countries. Despite this, TB has recently become one of the 10 leading causes of death worldwide and the highest cause of mortality among infectious diseases33. World Health Organization. Global tuberculosis report 2016. Geneva: WHO; 2016.. About 10.4 million people had TB and 1.8 million died (including 0.4 million among people with HIV). The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 480,000 subjects had multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and 10% of them developed extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR). Only 27% of MDR/XDR TB patients were adequately diagnosed and treated according to the drug resistance profile. In 2015, the WHO reported that the cure rate in TB, MDR-TB, and XDR-TB cases were 83%, 52%, and 28%, respectively33. World Health Organization. Global tuberculosis report 2016. Geneva: WHO; 2016..

In 2006, the STOP TB/WHO Global Plan focused on strengthening the health system (decentralization of TB control actions to primary care) and on adopting direct observed therapy strategy (DOTS) pursuing an increased treatment effectiveness in children with TB, TB/HIV, and MDR/XDR44. STOP TB Partnership. The Global Plan to Stop TB 2006-2015. Geneva: WHO ; 2006.. In the following years, TB treatment success increased (above 80%) in countries with high coverage of DOTS. However, at the global level, the annual decline in TB incidence remained low (1.5%) and insufficient to eradicate TB. In Brazil, the annual decrease of TB incidence did not exceed 2%, when the target reduction percentage would be approximately 8%, and the treatment indicators did not reach 75%, with regional differences55. Ministério da Saúde. Indicadores Prioritários para o monitoramento do Plano Nacional pelo Fim da Tuberculose com o Problema de Saúde Pública no Brasil. Boletim Epidemiológico - Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde - Ministério da Saúde. 2017;48(8):1-11. (Acessado em 01 Setembro 2017). Disponível em: Disponível em: http://portalarquivos.saude.gov.br/images/pdf/2017/marco/23/2017-V-48-N-8-Indicadores-priorit--rios-para-o-monitoramento-do-Plano-Nacional-pelo-Fim-da-Tuberculose-como-Problema-de-Sa--de-P--blica-no-Brasil.pdf
http://portalarquivos.saude.gov.br/image...
.

Globally, in spite of the implementation of these strategies, the access and detection of TB cases remain unchanged, mainly among those living in large urban areas, with drug resistance, vulnerable populations (HIV-infected individuals, inmates, drug users, homeless, children, and adolescents) or with comorbidities [human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), mental health disorders, diabetes mellitus, and smoking]66. WHO. TB Addressing the needs of vulnerable populations. (Accessed 2017 September 01). Available at http://www.who.int/tb/areas-of-work/population-groups/en/
http://www.who.int/tb/areas-of-work/popu...

7. WHO. Integrating collaborative TB and HIV services within a comprehensive package of care for people who inject drugs: consolidated guidelines. WHO/HTM/TB/2016.02. (Accessed 2017 September 01). Available at http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/204484/1/9789241510226_eng.pdf?ua=1
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665...

8. Sweetland AC, Kritski A, Oquendo M, Sublette M, Elizabeth M., Norcini-Pala A, et al. Addressing the TB-Depression syndemic to end the TB epidemic. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2017;21(8):852-61.
-99. Lönnroth K, Roglic G, Harries AD. Improving tuberculosis prevention and care through addressing the global diabetes epidemic: from evidence to policy and practice. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2014;2(9):730-9..

WHO recognized that TB control actions should be conducted at different levels of health care (primary, secondary, and tertiary), including prisons. Recently, clinical and operational research have indicated that the approaches are more effective when they respond to local socio-cultural characteristics, organization of health service delivery, and type of community activities. These approaches should cover the cascade of actions that include local TB transmission control, screening, and diagnostic investigation of active and latent TB, followed by its antimicrobial treatment, incorporating biomedical approaches99. Lönnroth K, Roglic G, Harries AD. Improving tuberculosis prevention and care through addressing the global diabetes epidemic: from evidence to policy and practice. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2014;2(9):730-9.

10. Alsdurf H, Hill PC, Matteelli A, Getahun H, Menzies D. The cascade of care in diagnosis and treatment of latent tuberculosis infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Infect Dis. 2016;16(11):1269-78.

11. World Health Organization. Integrating collaborative TB and HIV services within a comprehensive package of care for people who inject drugs Consolidated guidelines. WHO/HTM/TB/2016.02. (Acessed 2017 September 01). Available at http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/204484/1/9789241510226_eng.pdf?ua=1
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665...

12. Moreira ASR, Huf G, Vieira MAM, da Costa P, Aguiar F, Marsico A, et al. Liquid vs solid culture medium to evaluate proportion and time to change in management of suspects of tuberculosis - a pragmatic randomized trial in secondary and tertiary health care units in Brazil. PLoS One. 2015; 10(6):e0127588.
-1313. Wysocki AD, Villa TC, Arakawa T, Brunello ME, Vendramini SH, Monroe AA, et al. Latent Tuberculosis Infection diagnostic and treatment cascade among contacts in the Primary Health Care in a City of Sao Paulo State, Brazil: cross-sectional study. PLoS One 2016;11(6):e0155348., biopsychosocial88. Sweetland AC, Kritski A, Oquendo M, Sublette M, Elizabeth M., Norcini-Pala A, et al. Addressing the TB-Depression syndemic to end the TB epidemic. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2017;21(8):852-61.,1414. Ortblad KF, Solomon JA, Barnighausen T, Atun R. Stopping tuberculosis: a biosocial model for sustainable development. Lancet. 2015;386(10010):2354-62., strengthening social protection1515. Torrens AW, Rasella D, Boccia D, Maciel ELN, Nery JS, Olson ZD, et al. Effectiveness of a conditional cash transfer programme on TB cure rate: a retrospective cohort study in Brazil. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2016; 110(3):199-206.,1616. Nery JS, Rodrigues LC, Rasella D, Aquino R, Barreira D, Torrens AW, et al. Effect of Brazil's conditional cash transfer programme on tuberculosis incidence. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis . 2017;21(7):790-6., community participation1717. World Health Organization. The ENGAGE-TB Approach: Integrating community-based TB activities into the work of NGOs and other CSOs. (Acessed 2017 September 01). Available at http://who.int/tb/areas-of-work/community-engagement/background/en/
http://who.int/tb/areas-of-work/communit...
, and political commitment1818. Wang L, Liu J, Chin DP. Progress in tuberculosis control and the evolving public-health system in China. Lancet . 2007;24;369(9562):691-6..

However, in high TB ​​burden countries, operational research performed to cover such approaches are limited. Thus, the most appropriate interventions to control the epidemic at different healthcare levels cannot be identified1919. World Health Organization. An international roadmap for tuberculosis research. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2011. (Accessed 2017 September 01). Available at (Available at (http://www.stoptb.org/assets/documents/resources/publications/technical/tbresearchroadmap.pdf ).
http://www.stoptb.org/assets/documents/r...
,2020. World Health Organization. A global action framework for TB research. Geneva: World Health Organization ; 2015 (Acessed 2017 September 01). Available at (Available at (http://www.who.int/tb/publications/global-framework-research/en/ )
http://www.who.int/tb/publications/globa...
. This scenario may be result from the fragile interaction between researchers and TB and HIV managers, who prioritize activities in TB, TB/HIV care, or surveillance activities, but not research. In addition, favorable results obtained through research carried out in high burden countries, such as Brazil, usually do not have long-term sustainability and are not incorporated into the routine of the health system2121. Sereno AB, Soares EC, Lapa E Silva JR, Nápoles AM, Bialous SA, Costa E Silva VL, et al. Feasibility study of a smoking cessation intervention in Directly Observed Therapy Short-Course tuberculosis treatment clinics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2012;32(6):451-6.

22. Golub JE, Cohn S, Saraceni V, Cavalcante SC, Pacheco AG, Moulton LH, et al. Long-term protection from isoniazid preventive therapy for tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients in a medium-burden tuberculosis setting: the TB/HIV in Rio (THRio) study. Clin Infect Dis. 2015;60(4):639-45.

23. Cavalcante SC, Durovni B, Barnes GL, Souza FB, Silva RF, Barroso PF, et al. Community-randomized trial of enhanced DOTS for tuberculosis control in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 2010; 14(2):203-9.
-2424. da Costa PA, Carvalho AC, de Souza SR, Moreira EC, Garrido RQ, Vieira-Silva MA, et al. Continuous monitoring of implemented tuberculosis control measures in middle-income high-endemic countries. J Hosp Infect. 2011;77(2):178-9..

Among the most widely used interventions recommended by the WHO, we cite the adoption of an early diagnosis of drug-resistant and drug-sensitive TB using new technologies (usually molecular tests) aiming to adopt appropriate treatment and taking measures to control TB infection in the community2525. World Health Organization. Use of liquid TB culture and drug susceptibility testing (DST) in low and medium income settings. Summary Report of the expert group meeting on the use of liquid culture media. Geneva: World Health Organization , 2007.-2626. World Health Organization: Moving research findings into new WHO policies reference: World Health Organization. Moving research findings into new WHO policies. 2015.http://www.who.int/tb/dots/laboratory/policy/en/index4.html.
http://www.who.int/tb/dots/laboratory/po...
. Among the recommended molecular tests, the Xpert MTB/RIF test has already been adopted in 15 countries33. World Health Organization. Global tuberculosis report 2016. Geneva: WHO; 2016.. However, Creswell et al. and Albert el al. analyzing the use of Xpert MTB/RIF worldwide in the routine of Tuberculosis Control Programs reported difficulties in incorporating this molecular technique in different countries and provided limited impact on epidemiological indicators of TB, especially those related to treatment outcomes and/or interruption of TB transmission2727. Creswell J, Codlin AJ, Andre E, Micek MA, Bedru A, Carter EJ, et al. Results from early programmatic implementation of Xpert MTB/RIF testing in nine countries. BMC Infect Dis. 2014;14:2.,2828. Albert H, Nathavitharana RR, Isaacs C, Pai M, Denkinger CM, Boehme CC. Development, roll-out and impact of Xpert MTB/RIF for tuberculosis: what lessons have we learnt and how can we do better? Eur Respir J. 2016; 48(2):516-25.. In addition, even with subsidies, in countries with high TB burden such as South Africa, the sustainability of its use under programmatic conditions has been questioned2929. Naidoo P, Dunbar R, du Toit E, van Niekerk M, Squire SB, Beyers N, et al. Comparing laboratory costs of smear/culture and Xpert®MTB/RIF-based tuberculosis diagnostic algorithms. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis . 2016;20(10):1377-85..

The use of Xpert MTB RIF in TB diagnosis was evaluated in five pragmatic clinical trials: studies of high scientific evidence and strength of recommendation, under routine conditions. When compared with smear microscopy, Xpert MTB increased the number of patients with bacteriologically confirmed TB and reduced the time between screening and initiation of TB treatment, but did not reduce mortality or lost to follow-up3030. Theron G, Zijenah L, Chanda D, Clowes P, Rachow A, Lesosky M, et al. Feasibility, accuracy, and clinical effect of point-of-care Xpert MTB/RIF testing for tuberculosis in primary-care settings in Africa: a multicentre, randomised, controlled trial. The Lancet , 2014;383(9915):424-35.

31. Durovni B, Saraceni V, van dem Hof S, Trajman A, Cordeiro-Santos M, Cavalcante S, et al. Impact of replacing smear microscopy with Xpert MTB/RIF for diagnosing tuberculosis in Brazil: a stepped-wedge cluster-randomized trial. PLoS Med. 2014;11(12):e1001766.

32. Trajman A, Durovni B, Saraceni V, Menezes A, Cordeiro-Santos M, Cobelens F, et al. Impact of patients Treatment outcomes of Xpert MTB/RIF implementation for the diagnosis of tuberculosis: follow-up of a stepped-wedge randomized clinical trial. Plos one. 2015;10(4):e0123252.

33. Churchyard GJ, Stevens WS, Mametja LD, McCarthy KM, Chihota V, Nicol MP, et al. Xpert MTB/RIF versus sputum microscopy as the initial diagnostic test for tuberculosis: a cluster-randomised trial embedded in South African roll-out of Xpert MTB/RIF. Lancet Glob Health. 2015;3(8):450-7.
-3434. Cox HS, Mbhele S, Mohess N, Whitelaw A, Muller O, Zemanay W, et al. Impact of Xpert MTB/RIF for TB diagnosis in a primary care clinic with high TB and HIV prevalence in South Africa: a pragmatic randomised trial. PLoS Med . 2014;11(11):e1001760.. The impact of Xpert MTB/Rif on the occurrence of relapse or TB transmission in the community was not described.

Recently, incorporation of new screening, diagnostic, therapeutic, or management technologies has been highly recommended to routinely evaluate their impact (through pragmatic clinical trials) on the clinical and epidemiological indicators coupled with the bio-psycho-social aspects to the care process adopted in the local health system. Then, the use of new technologies may be incorporated to the National or Regional Clinical Guidelines1212. Moreira ASR, Huf G, Vieira MAM, da Costa P, Aguiar F, Marsico A, et al. Liquid vs solid culture medium to evaluate proportion and time to change in management of suspects of tuberculosis - a pragmatic randomized trial in secondary and tertiary health care units in Brazil. PLoS One. 2015; 10(6):e0127588.

13. Wysocki AD, Villa TC, Arakawa T, Brunello ME, Vendramini SH, Monroe AA, et al. Latent Tuberculosis Infection diagnostic and treatment cascade among contacts in the Primary Health Care in a City of Sao Paulo State, Brazil: cross-sectional study. PLoS One 2016;11(6):e0155348.
-1414. Ortblad KF, Solomon JA, Barnighausen T, Atun R. Stopping tuberculosis: a biosocial model for sustainable development. Lancet. 2015;386(10010):2354-62.,1919. World Health Organization. An international roadmap for tuberculosis research. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2011. (Accessed 2017 September 01). Available at (Available at (http://www.stoptb.org/assets/documents/resources/publications/technical/tbresearchroadmap.pdf ).
http://www.stoptb.org/assets/documents/r...
,3535. Squire SB, Ramsay ARC, van Den Hof S, Millington KA, Langley I, Bello G, et al. Making innovations accessible to the poor through implementation by research. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis . 2011;15(7):862-70.

36. Kritski A, Fujiwara PI, Vieira MA, Netto AR, Oliveira MM, Huf G, et al. Assessing new strategies for TB diagnosis in low- and middle-income countries. Braz J Infect Dis. 2013;17(2):211-7.
-3737. Langley I, Squire SB, Dacombe R, Madan J, Lapa e Silva JR, Barreira D, et al. Developments in impact assessment of new diagnostic algorithms for TB control. Clin Infect Dis . 2015;61(Suppl 3):S126-34..

In recognition to these challenges, the World Health Assembly in May 2014 approved the new Global TB Elimination Strategy with a set of ambitious targets, later included in the Sustainable Development Objectives 20303838. Uplekar M, Weil D, Lonnroth K, Jaramillo E, Lienhardt C, Dias HM, et al. for WHO’s Global TB Programme. WHO’s new End TB Strategy. Lancet . 2015; 385(9979):1799-801.. The new global strategy aims at reducing mortality and incidence of TB in all countries, targeting the indicators currently observed in high-income countries. This new strategy is based on three pillars: 1) integrated patient-centered care and prevention; 2) bold policies and support systems; and 3) intensification of research and incorporation of new technologies.

The pillar of research and innovation in the Global TB Elimination Strategy should prioritize research through a continuum from fundamental/translational research to the discovery and development of new products (vaccines, drugs, inputs, and management strategies), linked to the operational/implementation and health system research that analyze the impact of incorporating new products into the public and/or private healthcare system.

The promotion of Pillar 3 (Research) in the Global TB Elimination Strategy was emphasized in the Global Action Framework for TB Research1919. World Health Organization. An international roadmap for tuberculosis research. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2011. (Accessed 2017 September 01). Available at (Available at (http://www.stoptb.org/assets/documents/resources/publications/technical/tbresearchroadmap.pdf ).
http://www.stoptb.org/assets/documents/r...
,2020. World Health Organization. A global action framework for TB research. Geneva: World Health Organization ; 2015 (Acessed 2017 September 01). Available at (Available at (http://www.who.int/tb/publications/global-framework-research/en/ )
http://www.who.int/tb/publications/globa...
. This framework prioritized the establishment of national TB research networks, similar to the Brazilian TB Research Network (Rede TB)3939. Kritski A, Ruffino-Netto A, Trajman A, Villa TCS, Lapa e Silva JR, Haddad DJ, et al. Brazilian Tuberculosis Research Network - Rede TB. An Inst Hig Med Trop. 2016;15(Supl.1):S35-S44., and foster the research interaction among national researchers from different disciplines, institutions involved in TB product development and innovations, and national and international funders.

In Brazil, favorable results in the decentralization of TB control actions for primary care have been described, through secondary data, at the national level4040. Bartholomay P, Pelissari DM, Navegantes WA, Yadon ZE, Heldal E. Quality of tuberculosis care at different levels of health care in Brazil in 2013. Rev Panam Salud Publica . 2016;39(1):3-11.. However, in studies conducted in capitals4141. Virgilio TC, Medronho Rde A. Cure rates for tuberculosis in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2012 compared with coverage by, and time of establishment of, Family Health units, and socio-economic and demographic factors. Cien Saude Colet. 2016;21(5):1491-8., or through local primary data, where managers, health professionals, and users of the health system were interviewed, the results are not homogeneous4242. Villa TC, Ruffino-Netto A, Scatena LM, Andrade RLP, Brunello MEF, Nogueira JA, et al. Health Services performance for TB treatment in Brazil: a cross sectional study. BMC Health Services Research. 2011;11(1):241.

43. Scatena LM, Villa TC, Netto AR, Kritski AL, Figueiredo TM, Vendramini SH, et al. Difficulties in the accessibility to health services for tuberculosis diagnoses in Brazilian municipalities. Rev Saúde Pública. 2009;43(3):389-97.
-4444. Arakawa T, Magnabosco GT, Lopes LM, Arnaez MAA, Gavín MAO, Gallardo MDPS, et al. Evaluation of the performance of Tuberculosis Control Programs in Brazil and Spain: an integrative review of the literature. Cienc Saude Coletiva. 2015;20(12):3877-89. .

However, the TB incidence and proportion of TB treatment completion were higher in municipalities with high family allowance coverage (Bolsa Família Program), even in municipalities with a high proportion of DOTS or coverage of the Family Health Strategy.1515. Torrens AW, Rasella D, Boccia D, Maciel ELN, Nery JS, Olson ZD, et al. Effectiveness of a conditional cash transfer programme on TB cure rate: a retrospective cohort study in Brazil. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2016; 110(3):199-206.-1616. Nery JS, Rodrigues LC, Rasella D, Aquino R, Barreira D, Torrens AW, et al. Effect of Brazil's conditional cash transfer programme on tuberculosis incidence. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis . 2017;21(7):790-6.These results need to be confirmed elsewhere, but corroborate the importance of the adoption of Pillar 2 (social protection) in conjunction with Pillar 1 (integrated and patient-centered care) and Pillar 3 (research and innovation) for TB elimination, as proposed in the 2015 National TB Research Agenda for Brazil in 20154545. Kritski A, Barreira D, Junqueira-Kipnis AP, Moraes MO, Campos MM, Degrave WM, et al. Brazilian Response to "Global End TB Strategy”: National Tuberculosis Research. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop. 2016;49(1):135-45..

Brazil participated actively in the construction of Pillar 2 with the largest income transfer program worldwide, the Bolsa Familia Program. Therefore, pragmatic studies should be fostered with new approaches on social protection to identify which interventions are most effective and best for TB patients and their families.

Facing the complexity of factors that interfere with the TB control, the Rich proposal that equated the pathogenesis of an infectious process (at the individual level) was computed using the following mathematical expression:

P = N . V . H . R ( n + a )

where N is for the number of bacilli; V for virulence; H for human hypersensitivity; Rn for natural resistance; and Ra for acquired resistance, following the biomedical logic.

A holistic innovative approach for TB elimination was proposed by Ruffino-Netto4646. Ruffino-Netto A. Carga da Tuberculose: reflexões sobre o tema. J Bras Pneumol. 2004;30(4):307-9. through the expression:

C T b ( D S O C ) . ( P H I V ) . ( P A B T ) . ( P R ) . ( M M I G ) . ( E P O P ) ( D O S S ) . ( D O T ) . N ( E D U + N U T ) . ( R H S S ) . ( G P P )

where CTb: tuberculosis burden; DSOC: social inequality; PHI: prevalence of HIV/AIDS; PABT: percentage of treatment abandonment; PR: prevalence of drug-resistant TB cases (primary or acquired); MMIG: migratory movements; EPOP: aging of the population; DOSS: availability of service organization; DOTS: prevalence of directly observed treatment strategy; N (EDU + NUT): educational and nutritional levels of the population; RHSS: adequate and well-prepared human resources in health services; and GPP: degree of political involvement of the population.

This approach would help in the inclusion of research and social protection as a new approach to be pursued at TB control programs at national, regional, and local levels.

In addition, in the recent years, in countries with low TB burden and those with high TB burden [Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS)], the irremovable need for interaction between the academy, government, and industry has become a consensus among researchers in basic, translational, clinical and operational areas3939. Kritski A, Ruffino-Netto A, Trajman A, Villa TCS, Lapa e Silva JR, Haddad DJ, et al. Brazilian Tuberculosis Research Network - Rede TB. An Inst Hig Med Trop. 2016;15(Supl.1):S35-S44..

These countries significantly focused on the capacity of researchers and organizations to promote internal innovations in parallel to the incorporation of externally produced scientific and technological knowledge4747. Denicolai S, Ramirez M, Tidd J. Overcoming the false dichotomy between internal R&D and external knowledge acquisition: Absorptive capacity dynamics over time. Technol Forecast Soc Change. 2016;104:57-65.. As recently, scientific development (manuscripts in indexed journals, doctoral tests, or master’s dissertations), coupled with the technological development of products (medicines, vaccines, and diagnostic supplies) in an isolated way, is not beneficial to the society.

The degree of safety and efficacy of these products should be confirmed through clinical research in explanatory clinical trials (those aimed at obtaining registration with regulatory bodies), as well as the high effectiveness and efficiency in pragmatic clinical trials (those who analyze the clinical and budgetary impact on patients and the local health system) through operational/implementation research1212. Moreira ASR, Huf G, Vieira MAM, da Costa P, Aguiar F, Marsico A, et al. Liquid vs solid culture medium to evaluate proportion and time to change in management of suspects of tuberculosis - a pragmatic randomized trial in secondary and tertiary health care units in Brazil. PLoS One. 2015; 10(6):e0127588.,2020. World Health Organization. A global action framework for TB research. Geneva: World Health Organization ; 2015 (Acessed 2017 September 01). Available at (Available at (http://www.who.int/tb/publications/global-framework-research/en/ )
http://www.who.int/tb/publications/globa...
,3535. Squire SB, Ramsay ARC, van Den Hof S, Millington KA, Langley I, Bello G, et al. Making innovations accessible to the poor through implementation by research. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis . 2011;15(7):862-70.

36. Kritski A, Fujiwara PI, Vieira MA, Netto AR, Oliveira MM, Huf G, et al. Assessing new strategies for TB diagnosis in low- and middle-income countries. Braz J Infect Dis. 2013;17(2):211-7.
-3737. Langley I, Squire SB, Dacombe R, Madan J, Lapa e Silva JR, Barreira D, et al. Developments in impact assessment of new diagnostic algorithms for TB control. Clin Infect Dis . 2015;61(Suppl 3):S126-34..

Recently, in order to speed up the interaction between the academia, industry, and government, the Rede TB has been promoting, in close collaboration with the National Tuberculosis Control Program, innovative and strategic activities in TB Research3939. Kritski A, Ruffino-Netto A, Trajman A, Villa TCS, Lapa e Silva JR, Haddad DJ, et al. Brazilian Tuberculosis Research Network - Rede TB. An Inst Hig Med Trop. 2016;15(Supl.1):S35-S44.,4545. Kritski A, Barreira D, Junqueira-Kipnis AP, Moraes MO, Campos MM, Degrave WM, et al. Brazilian Response to "Global End TB Strategy”: National Tuberculosis Research. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop. 2016;49(1):135-45..

TB elimination in Brazil, a country with a continental dimension and enormous socioeconomic and operational diversity, reinforces the need for intersectoral actions conducted at different levels of healthcare, in order to converge efforts and to achieve the goals of the Brazil Plan for TB Elimination launched by Ministry of Health, in 20174848. Ministério da Saúde. Brasil Livre da Tuberculose: Plano Nacional pelo fim da Tuberculose como Problema de Saúde Pública. Ministério da Saúde - Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde - Departamento de Vigilância das Doenças Transmissíveis - Programa Nacional de Controle da Tuberculose. Brasília: MS; 2017.. Considering the relevance of incorporating research into the Global and National TB Elimination Plans, the Rede TB has advocated for the strengthening and/or identification of centers to train health professionals and to develop and conduct research that may contribute to the generation of evidence and improvement of programmatic recommendations. In addition, the capillarity of its researchers throughout the national territory integrated into the tuberculosis programs could result in a greater specificity of the interventions evaluated, thus allowing the recommendations to be refined to the local epidemiological context.

Faced with the urgency of TB elimination, funders, researchers, managers, health professionals, industry representatives, and the civil society should be synergistically organized and aligned in the selection of the best clinical, basic, and translational research, quality, and completeness of care for TB subjects.

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  • Financial support: This work was funded by CNPq/Instituto Nacional Ciencia Tecnologia - Tuberculose-INCT-TB) - Process: 465318/2014-2.

Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    Jan-Feb 2018

History

  • Received
    06 Oct 2017
  • Accepted
    09 Feb 2018
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