title: TB case detection: can we remain passive while the process is active?
abstract: TB remains a major public health problem despite all the efforts that have been made since it was declared a global emergency in 1993. Different strategies have been implemented to curb the spread of the epidemic. Early case detection and treatment is one of the pillars of the TB control program. In 1991, WHO set targets for increasing case detection and treatment success rates to 70% and 85% respectively. Although the target of treatment success rate has been achieved, the case detection rate remains far below target at currently less than 50%. It is high time that control programs move from simple passive to a more systematic active case finding in order to accelerate TB control.
authors.affiliation: Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Markos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abebe
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Doherty
authors.forename: Liya
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wassie
authors.forename: Abebech
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Demissie
authors.forename: Adane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mihret
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Engers
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aseffa
mesh_terms: D058872:Epidemics; D014943:Global Health; D006287:Health Planning Guidelines; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D017053:Infection Control / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy* / Q000635:transmission*; D014944:World Health Organization / Q000458:organization & administration