Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic, infectious, debilitating disease, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacterium. It is a public health problem and all cases must be notified to the Provincial/City Medical Director in terms of the Public Health Act.

More information on National Policy and the organisation of TB services is

BCG vaccination should be given to all babies at birth - or at first contact with the child after birth — according to national guidelines. While BCG does not offer complete immunity to tuberculosis, it offers protection from the severe forms of tuberculosis such as miliary TB and TB meningitis. e BCG vaccine should be given to all babies at birth or at first contact with the

TPT priority target groups are PLHIV and household contacts of bacteriologically confirmed TB index cases including child (<15 years) and adult (>15 years) contacts. See table 10.2 for the current TPT options.

CLHIV on DTG -based regimen, | Isoniazid alone Pls and NNRTIs (6H)

The presence of pulmonary tuberculosis should be suspected in individuals presenting with one or more of the following complaints:

e A positive tuberculin skin test (person with normal immunity: induration > 10 mm, person with defective immunity: induration > 5 mm) may indicate active infection (especially if strongly positive), previous infection or previous BCG.

One treatment regimen is now used in Zimbabwe for the treatment of drug sensitive TB, regardless of the treatment history. The regimen consists of a combination of the four first line medicines HRZE:

The essential anti-TB medicines are available as FDCs such that each tablet has a combination of 2 (2-FDC), 3 (3-FDC), or 4 (4-FDC) medicines. The FDCs available in Zimbabwe are:

25kgs and above Use adult dosages and formulations

All suspected adverse drug reactions (ADR) must be reported to the Medicines Contro! Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) using spontaneous Adverse Drug Reaction reporting forms or the MCAZ online reporting platform: https //e-pv.mcaz.cozwi

Second-line medicines are B level medicines with V level of priority. However, second-line medicines are also to be found at primary health facilities for specific managing DRTB