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TB Notes Newsletter
No. 2, 2007
SURVEILLANCE,
EPIDEMIOLOGY, and
OUTBREAK
INVESTIGATIONS B
RANCH
UPDATES
RVCT Revision
The Report of Verified Case of Tuberculosis (RVCT) is
the national TB surveillance form. Data from the RVCT
are used to create the DTBE Annual Surveillance Report
and to monitor national TB trends. The last major
revision of the RVCT was in 1993. Since that time, the
epidemiology of TB has changed in terms of risk factors,
new drug treatments, and enhanced laboratory capacity
for diagnostic tests.
In 2001, DTBE initiated a comprehensive review of
existing variables and instructions for the RVCT. A DTBE-sponsored
work group with nearly 30 members from CDC, 15 TB
programs, and the National TB Controllers Association (NTCA)
convened a series of 26 conference calls to draft the
next revision to the RVCT. The group collaborated to
consider variable additions, deletions, and revisions
based on surveillance significance, ease of data
collection, and ability to yield meaningful and useful
data. The revision also benefited from review and
consultation with TB experts active in research and
field services.
The RVCT revision work group finalized their working
draft in December 2006 and forwarded the draft to DTBE
in January 2007. There was broad consensus on which
variables and which instructions should be revised, with
a few remaining issues for which DTBE guidance was
requested. DTBE is currently reviewing the draft and
making final suggestions prior to sharing the draft with
partners. In March 2007, the draft was made available
for review by the Advisory Council for the Elimination
of Tuberculosis (ACET), NTCA, TB Controllers,
Surveillance Coordinators, and other stakeholders.
Partners will provide feedback on the revision and DTBE
will make final decisions based on comments. The RVCT
revision will be field-tested and must be submitted to
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance
process by October 2007.
—Reported by Carla Winston, PhD
Div of TB Elimination
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10th Semiannual Meeting of the TB Epidemiologic
Studies Consortium
The 10th Semiannual Meeting of the TB Epidemiologic
Studies Consortium (TBESC) convened on January 24-25 in
Las Vegas, Nevada. The primary purpose of the TBESC is
to conduct epidemiologic, behavioral, economic,
laboratory, and operational research in TB prevention
and control.
Over 110 persons participated in the meeting.
Attendees included Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention staff, TBESC principal investigators, project
coordinators, and project specific personnel.
This meeting had a more research oriented focus than
previous meetings with scientific presentations and
discussions on research topics that were identified as a
top priority by TBESC. In addition, consortium members
and CDC staff gave updates on the status of ongoing
TBESC research projects and activities. Administrative
and fiscal issues were also discussed.
Participants heard presentations from CDC staff,
TBESC members, and invited guests on a broad array of
topics that included--
- TB in foreign-born persons
- Effects of diabetes on tuberculosis
- TB in African Americans
- Administrative and fiscal updates on
consortium-related activities
- Update on the Semiannual Tuberculosis Advisory
Review (STAR) process
- Updates from the Process Evaluation,
Publications and Presentations, External Relations,
and Research Committees.
The 10th semiannual meeting represents the midway
point or 5 years of the TBESC. This is a very exciting
time for the consortium with a number of its studies in
the data analysis phase and others beginning to report
results and describe implications for TB programs.
For
more information on the TBESC.
—Reported by Indhira Gnanasekaran, MPA
TBESC Project Manager
Div of TB Elimination
Last Reviewed: 05/18/2008 Content Source: Division of Tuberculosis Elimination
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
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