title: A review of tuberculosis contact investigations in the poor urban areas of Manila, The Philippines.
abstract: Setting:Socio-economically underprivileged areas in the Philippines.Objective:To review the implementation of tuberculosis (TB) contact investigations in the urban poor areas of Manila and Quezon City.Design:A descriptive cross-sectional study based on a review of data from household contact registries in local government unit (LGU) and non-government organisation (NGO) facilities during January-December 2012 in Manila and Quezon City. Free discussion sessions were also conducted among health-care workers.Results:Of 6161 children and adult household contacts listed in the LGUs and 1893 in the NGOs, 17% (n= 1086) in the LGUs and 95% (n= 1800) in the NGOs were evaluated. The yield of clinically diagnosed TB among children aged <15 years was 10.2% (127/1245) in the LGUs and 8.4% (63/752) in the NGOs. The yield of isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) for those aged <5 years was 23.1% (124/537) in the LGUs and 28.0% (78/279) in the NGOs. The NGOs produced a high yield of IPT due to a better logistical system that ensured the availability of supplies and systematic home visits.Conclusion:Screening of household contacts in poor urban areas appears to be effective; it increased the number of children aged <15 years eligible for IPT and should be expanded as an intervention strategy for TB control in the Philippines.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Tuberculosis/Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association (RIT/JATA) Philippines, Manila, The Philippines.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Coprada
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, National Hospital Organisation Minami-Kyoto Hospital, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoshimatsu
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Tuberculosis/Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association (RIT/JATA) Philippines, Manila, The Philippines.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Querri
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Tuberculosis/Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association (RIT/JATA) Philippines, Manila, The Philippines.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.affiliation: Manila Health Department, Manila, The Philippines.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Agujo
authors.affiliation: Quezon City Health Department, Quezon City, The Philippines.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Paulino
authors.affiliation: National Capital Region Office, Department of Health, Mandaluyong, The Philippines.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Medina
authors.affiliation: Disease Prevention and Control Bureau, Department of Health, Manila, The Philippines.
authors.forename: A M C
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Garfin
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Tuberculosis/Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association (RIT/JATA) Philippines, Manila, The Philippines ; RIT/JATA, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ohkado
keywords: TB; children; household; isoniazid preventive therapy; latent