Notes from the Director

Dear Colleague:

This past spring, Division of Tuberculosis Elimination (DTBE) staff have been involved in a variety of events. DTBE hosted a TB Expert Network Conference in late April with the CDC-funded TB Regional Training and Medical Consultation Centers (RTMCCs) and the National Jewish Medical Research Center. This conference served as a forum for TB experts to discuss challenging or complicated cases. The conference focused on clinical conundrums in the HIV-TB co-infected patient.

The Tuberculosis Trials Consortium (TBTC) held their 39th Semi-Annual Meeting in May in Atlanta. The meeting highlighted research on the diagnosis, clinical management, and treatment of latent TB infection (LTBI) and TB disease, as well as an exciting collaboration with the Tuberculosis Epidemiologic Studies Consortium (TBESC) to study a 6-week LTBI treatment regimen. The 8th annual Tuberculosis Epidemiologic Studies Consortium (TBESC) meeting was held May 18-19 in Atlanta. The meeting highlighted current and planned TBESC studies that encompass elements of LTBI testing, treatment, program evaluation, and opportunities to increase uptake of testing and treatment, such as working with community providers. In addition, DTBE staff traveled to California to meet with the California Tuberculosis Elimination Advisory Committee to assist in the development of a clear, focused TB prevention communication strategy.

Congratulations to the Surveillance for Tuberculosis Elimination Management System (STEMS) Development Team, winners of the June 2017 National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP) Director’s Recognition Award! DTBE developed STEMS to streamline LTBI patient management. The real-time data can be used to graphically demonstrate a local program’s progress in identifying persons in their jurisdiction who need to be screened for LTBI, evaluating them completely, beginning treatment for those with LTBI, and documenting completion of treatment. STEMS was officially released on January 13, 2017.

As we enter the last half of the year, I continue to be inspired by your dedication to the very important work you are doing every day in our efforts to eliminate TB. I hope all of you have a safe, enjoyable, and productive summer.

Philip LoBue, MD, FACP, FCCP
Director,
Division of Tuberculosis Elimination
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention

Communications, Education, and Behavioral Studies Branch Updates

Social Media

DTBE’s Twitter account, @CDC_TB, recently surpassed the 3,000 follower mark. Since 2015, DTBE has used Twitter to share research, promote new tools and resources, and raise awareness of TB. DTBE’s Facebook account, @CDCTB, launched in September 2016, has also been steadily growing, with over 700 followers.

Latent Tuberculosis Infection Online Resource Hub

The Latent TB Infection Online Resource Hub is a collection of downloadable materials for informing and educating the public, health care providers, policy makers, and other partners about the importance of expanded latent TB infection testing and treatment.

Implementing an Electronic Directly Observed Therapy (eDOT) Program: A Toolkit for Tuberculosis (TB) Programs.

DTBE is pleased to announce the release of Implementing an Electronic Directly Observed Therapy (eDOT) Program: A Toolkit for Tuberculosis (TB) Programs.

Retirement of Wanda Walton, PhD, MEd— Branch Chief for the Communications, Education, and Behavioral Studies Branch (CEBSB) in the Division of Tuberculosis Elimination (DTBE)

Wanda Walton, PhD, MEd— Branch Chief of CEBSB in DTBE, will be retiring on July 31, 2017. In 1989, Dr. Walton joined the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Tuberculosis Control as the first TB/HIV Health Education Specialist. Charged with the task of developing training materials for healthcare providers, she soon recognized the need to develop accurate and up-to-date materials for patients, their families, and communities, as well.

Laboratory Branch Updates

Tuberculosis Laboratory Aggregate Report

DTBE Laboratory Capacity Team (LCT) recently released the Fourth Edition of the Tuberculosis Laboratory Aggregate Report. Data detailed in the report are self-reported by public health laboratories supported, in part, by the CDC TBElimination Cooperative Agreement.

Diagnostic Mycobacteriology Workshop

During the week of March 28, not only did Atlanta’s I-85 bridge collapse, but the DTBE Laboratory Branch also hosted their annual Diagnostic Mycobacteriology Workshop at the CDC Roybal Campus.

Clinical Research Branch Updates

Tuberculosis Trials Consortium (TBTC) Study 31 Rifapentine-containing treatment shortening regimens for pulmonary tuberculosis: A randomized, open-label, controlled phase 3 clinical trial, continues to enroll. As of June 8, 2017, the study had enrolled 932 participants.

Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Outbreak Investigations Branch Updates

Retirement of Glenda Newell— Statistical Assistant/ASC Coordinator on the Surveillance Team in SEOIB inthe Division of Tuberculosis Elimination (DTBE).

Mrs. Glenda Newell, Statistical Assistant on the Surveillance Team in SEOIB, retired on July 1 after over 43 years of federal service. Glenda began her federal career in 1973 as a Secretary in the appraisal and mortgage divisions of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Data Management, Statistics, and Evaluation Branch Updates

Economic evaluation of investigating and following persons exposed to a person with extensively -drug resistant tuberculosis in the United States

Contact investigations are an essential component of TB prevention and control in the United States; however, information about their cost is limited. In April 2015, a person with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB) arrived in the United States from a high-incidence country, stimulating an evaluation of 81 individuals (contacts), and periodic examinations of those with latent TB infection (LTBI).

New CDC Publications

May 2017

Cavanaugh JS, Jou R, Wu MH, Dalton T, Kurbatova E, Ershova J, Cegielski JP; Global PETTS Investigators. Susceptibilities of MDR Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates to unconventional drugs compared with their reported pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic parameters. J Antimicrob Chemother 2017. Epub ahead of print.