A research article by Katharina Kranzer from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and colleagues describe the feasibility and costs of an active tuberculosis case finding project in Cape Town, South Africa.
The study describes the integration of tuberculosis testing into a mobile HIV testing service for HIV-negative individuals with symptoms suggestive of tuberculosis and all HIV-positive individuals.
The mobile testing clinic, named the Tutu Tester after Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, visits underserviced areas in greater Cape Town and provides testing services for deprived communities.
The study demonstrates that active tuberculosis case finding in settings with a high burden of HIV and tuberculosis is feasible and has a high uptake, yield, and treatment success. However, the authors note that further work is required to determine whether mobile active tuberculosis case finding is cost-effective and whether the service can be scaled up.
The study was funded by the Wellcome Trust. KK and SDL had support from the Wellcome Trust, RW had support from IEDEA (5U01AI069924-02, CEPAC (5 R01 AI058736-02), USAID Right to Care (CA 674 A 00 08 0000 700), CIPRA (IU19AI53217-07), LGB had support from NIH CIPRA (1U19AI053217).
Reference: Kranzer K, Lawn SD, Meyer-Rath G, Vassall A, Raditlhalo E, et al. (2012) Feasibility, Yield, and Cost of Active Tuberculosis Case Finding Linked to a Mobile HIV Service in Cape Town, South Africa: A Cross-sectional Study. PLoS Med 9(8): e1001281. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001281
APIC Salutes 2025 Trailblazers in Infection Prevention and Control
June 18th 2025From a lifelong mentor to a rising star, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) honored leaders across the career spectrum at its 2025 Annual Conference in Phoenix, recognizing individuals who enhance patient safety through research, leadership, and daily practice.
Building Infection Prevention Capacity in the Middle East: A 7-Year Certification Success Story
June 17th 2025Despite rapid development, the Middle East faces a critical shortage of certified infection preventionists. A 7-year regional initiative has significantly boosted infection control capacity, increasing the number of certified professionals and elevating patient safety standards across health care settings.
Streamlined IFU Access Boosts Infection Control and Staff Efficiency
June 17th 2025A hospital-wide quality improvement project has transformed how staff access critical manufacturer instructions for use (IFUs), improving infection prevention compliance and saving time through a standardized, user-friendly digital system supported by unit-based training and interdepartmental collaboration.