title: Impact of intensified case-finding strategies on childhood TB case registration in Nepal.
abstract: METHODS
  Seven intervention districts with intensified childhood tuberculosis (TB) case-finding strategies implemented by a non-governmental organisation and seven control districts under the National Tuberculosis Programme, Nepal.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the differences in childhood TB case registrations and case registration rates per 100 000 population between two time periods (Year 1 = March 2012-March 2013 and Year 2 = March 2013-March 2014) in intervention and control districts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective record review using routinely collected data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Childhood TB cases increased from 271 to 360 between Years 1 and 2 in the intervention districts (case registration rate from 18.2 to 24.2/100 000) and from 97 to 113 in the control districts (13.4 to 15.6/100 000): the increases were significantly higher in the intervention districts compared with the control districts. The increases were also significantly higher in children aged 0-4 years and in those with smear-negative pulmonary TB and extra-pulmonary TB. Of the various case-finding strategies, household contact screening, private-public mix services and mobile health chest camps produced the highest yield of TB.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A package of intensified case-finding strategies in children was associated with an increase in childhood TB case registrations in Nepal. Additional diagnostic approaches to increase case registrations also need to be considered.
authors.affiliation: Friends Affected and Infected Together In Hand (FAITH), Kathmandu, Nepal.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.affiliation: Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, India.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chinnakali
authors.affiliation: National Tuberculosis Centre, Thimi, Bhaktapur, Nepal.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shrestha
authors.affiliation: Médecins Sans Frontières Operational Centre Brussels, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), South-East Asian Regional Office, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: A M V
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: National Tuberculosis Centre, Thimi, Bhaktapur, Nepal.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pant
authors.affiliation: Friends Affected and Infected Together In Hand (FAITH), Kathmandu, Nepal.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lama
authors.affiliation: Sano Paila ( A little step ), Lalitpur, Nepal.
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Sarraf
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization Country Office for Nepal, Lalitpur, Nepal.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Dumre
authors.affiliation: The Union, Paris, France ; London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Harries
keywords: SORT IT; TB REACH; non-governmental organisation; operational research; paediatric tuberculosis