TB cluster study, Sidama, Ethiopia: A population-based prospective cohort study

Summary

Geographical information systems are increasingly being used in studies on infectious diseases to identify transmission patterns and disease clusters. This population-based prospective cohort study includes house-to-house active case finding (three visits) in Dale District in Sidama Zone (53 000 households). Local health extension workers will inform about TB, identify individuals with symptoms suggestive of TB disease and refer them to local public health services for diagnosis and treatment in line with the Ethiopian Tuberculosis control programme. The short term outcome of the study is improved understanding of transmission patterns and geographical clustering of TB in the community, and its underlying risk-factors. This may guide policy and decision makers for targeted interventions. The long term outcome of the study is improved access to TB diagnosis and care in Dale district. The project is a collaboration between the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, REACH Ethiopia in Hawassa and Armauer Hansen Research Institute in Addis.