Latent TB Infection: Updated & Consolidated Guidelines for Programmatic Management
2018
Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is defined as a state of persistent immune response to stimulation by Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens with no evidence of clinically manifest active TB. Up to one third of the world’s population is estimated to be infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and on average, 5–10% of those who are infected will develop active TB disease over their lifetime. The management of LTBI involves a comprehensive package of interventions: identifying and testing those individuals who should be tested, delivering effective, safe treatment in such a way that the majority of those starting a treatment regimen will complete it with no or minimal risk of adverse events, and monitoring and evaluation of the process.
These guidelines consider a wide array of factors including the probability of progression to active TB disease, the epidemiology and burden of TB, the availability of resources and the likelihood of a broad public health impact. These new guidelines developed by the WHO, supersede previous policy documents on the management of LTBI in people living with HIV, household contacts of people with active TB, other groups at risk of developing TB, and for LTBI testing. These consolidated guidelines provide the basis and rationale for the development of national guidelines for LTBI management, adapted to the national and local epidemiology of TB, the availability of resources, the health infrastructure and other national and local determinants.
Latent TB Infection: Updated & Consolidated Guidelines for Programmatic Management
Source:
World Health Organization. Latent TB Infection: Updated and Consolidated Guidelines for Programmatic Management. World Health Organization 2018. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK531235