Update: May 2024
This guide has been developed jointly by Médecins Sans Frontières and Partners In Health.
It is intended for health professionals involved in tuberculosis (TB) care: clinicians, nurses, laboratory technicians, but also pharmacists and health auxiliaries such as treatment supporters.
The guide aims to provide essential information on:
- TB as a disease (active TB) and as an infection (latent TB), from an epidemiological and clinical perspective,
- Diagnosis of active TB in children, adolescents and adults, and in particular the use of rapid tests and medical imaging,
- Treatment of active TB according to the patient's resistance profile, comorbidities (e.g. HIV infection), etc.,
- Diagnosis and treatment of latent TB infection,
- Screening for active TB in populations at risk,
- Monitoring and support of patients treated for TB,
- Prevention and control of TB transmission, including specific measures for follow-up of exposed staff,
- Monitoring and evaluation of TB activities.
It also includes appendices (standard operating procedures, examples of registers, forms, reports, etc.) to facilitate the implementation of activities.
We have tried to provide practical guidance based on the field experience of Médecins Sans Frontières, recommendations of reference organisations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), and scientific publications.
This guide does not replace clinical judgment. Clinicians should make the decisions they deem appropriate on a case-by-case basis, provided that they are based on current knowledge and good practices.
It also does not aim to describe in detail certain technical aspects (pulmonary surgery, ventilation logistics, etc.). For these matters, refer to the specialized literature and/or seek support from specialists.
Despite all efforts, it is possible that certain errors may have been overlooked in the guide. Please inform the authors of any errors encountered. To ensure that the guide continues to evolve while remaining adapted to realities in the field, please send us your comments and/or suggestions using the "Contact" page on this website.