|
|
|
|||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
TB Notes NewsletterReturn to Main Menu - TB Notes 4, 2007No. 4, 2007SURVEILLANCE, EPIDEMIOLOGY, AND OUTBREAK INVESTIGATIONS BRANCH UPDATE11th Semiannual Meeting of the Tuberculosis Epidemiologic Studies ConsortiumThe 11th Semiannual Meeting of the Tuberculosis Epidemiologic Studies Consortium (TBESC) was held on July 12–13 in Atlanta. The primary purpose of the TBESC is to conduct epidemiologic, behavioral, economic, laboratory, and operational research in TB prevention and control. Over 75 persons participated in the meeting. Attendees included CDC staff, TBESC principal investigators, project coordinators, and project specific personnel. TBESC members and CDC staff gave updates on the status of ongoing TBESC research projects and activities. Administrative and fiscal issues were also discussed. Topics included-
It is a very exciting time for the consortium with a number of its studies in the data analysis phase and others reporting results and describing implications for TB programs. Manuscripts from TBESC studies on pediatric TB and use of network analysis to characterize TB transmission patterns were recently accepted for publication in journals. For more information please visit the TBESC website .
—Reported by
Indhira Gnanasekaran, MPA CDC Team Teaches TB/HIV Operational Research Course in Kiev, UkraineA team of CDC epidemiologists and technical experts recently collaborated with two international partners, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, to conduct a TB/HIV Planning & Operational Research Workshop in Kiev, Ukraine, May 7–12, 2007. CDC team members were Julia Ershova, Senior Service Fellow, Division of Epidemiology and Surveillance Capacity Development, Coordinating Office of Global Health; Ann Buff, EIS Officer, DTBE, NCHHSTP; Kashef Ijaz, Chief, Field Services and Evaluation Branch, DTBE, NCHHSTP; and Timothy Holtz, Medical Epidemiologist, DTBE, NCHHSTP. Nineteen epidemiologists and physicians from Russia, Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine participated in the workshop. The goals of the course were to promote TB/HIV collaborative activities at the national and regional levels and for each country team to develop a TB/HIV operational research proposal focused on improving operations between TB and HIV programs. The CDC team taught applied epidemiology and provided mentoring to country teams.
Workshop participants had the opportunity to evaluate the workshop and all participants rated the quality of presentations as “very good” or “excellent.” Participants particularly valued the interactive nature of the course and rated the skills taught as very useful. This workshop was also a valuable opportunity for DTBE to enhance epidemiologic capacity in Eastern Europe and to strengthen relationships by collaborating with our international partners, the WHO and KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation.
—Reported by Ann
Buff, MD 2006 Annual Surveillance ReportThis year’s annual surveillance report, Reported Tuberculosis in the United States, 2006, was released in October 2007, and is posted on the Internet at www.cdc.gov/tb/surv/default.htm. Hardcopy versions will be available in November 2007. Statistical highlights of Reported Tuberculosis in the United States, 2006, include the following:
Following are suggested citations for hard copy and online versions: Hard copy: CDC. Reported Tuberculosis in the United States, 2006. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CDC; October 2007. Online: CDC. Reported Tuberculosis in the United States, 2006. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CDC; 2006.
—Reported by Sandy
Althomsons
Last Reviewed: 05/18/2008 |
|
|
If you would like to order any of the DTBE publications please visit the online order form. You will need Adobe Acrobat™ Reader v5.0 or higher to read pages that are in PDF format. Download the Adobe Acrobat™ Reader. If you have difficulty accessing any material on the DTBE Web site because of a disability, please contact us in writing or via telephone and we will work with you to make the information available. Division of Tuberculosis Elimination
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention |
The first day of the workshop, Monday, was filled with
introductions, country presentations, and discussion of possible WHO
collaborative activities for national TB and HIV programs. Each
country team presented an overview of the epidemiology of TB/HIV,
challenges of TB/HIV control, and potential TB/HIV collaborative
efforts in their respective countries. The second day consisted of
presentations by Drs. Buff, Ijaz, and Holtz to lay the groundwork of
basic epidemiologic analysis, research design, and study proposal
development. The class particularly enjoyed an interactive sampling
techniques exercise in which CDC pens and travel mugs were awarded
for “sampled” participants. Julia Ershova spent Wednesday and
Thursday teaching CDC’s statistical software program, Epi-Info. The
class used the Russian version of Epi-Info for practical exercises
with data from a real epidemiologic investigation. Participants were
eager to show off their data analysis and graphing skills at the end
of each exercise. After two and a half days of intense epidemiology
training, the class was ready for a break from the classroom. On
Thursday afternoon, participants visited one of two field sites in
Kiev. Half the class visited a harm reduction center funded by a
coalition of non-governmental organizations working in HIV/AIDS
where all clients receive HIV testing, counseling, and educational
support services. The other half visited a TB control program
dispensary where TB patients receive medical care, counseling, and
support services. 
On Friday, the country team members spent several
hours fine-tuning their proposals, and the CDC epidemiologists
presented the final lectures. Dr. Holtz presented a discussion of
the ethics of medical research, a new topic for many of the class
participants. On Saturday morning, teams pitched their preliminary
proposals with formal 15-minute PowerPoint presentations. Each
country team developed a solid operational research proposal,
incorporating many of the principles and techniques presented during
the workshop. Going forward, DTBE epidemiologists will continue to
provide mentoring as teams finalize and submit their proposals for
ethical review. WHO and KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation will provide
seed funding for each finalized proposal and oversight during the
research phase.