Rapid molecular testing or chest X-ray or tuberculin skin testing for household contact assessment of tuberculosis infection: A cluster-randomized trial.

<h4>Background</h4>The World Health Organization recommends evaluation of all household contacts (HHC) of index tuberculosis (TB) patients for TB disease (TBD) and TB infection (TBI). Tests to identify TBI and TBD are preferred but can be skipped in persons living with HIV and children &...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Menonli Adjobimey, Anete Trajman, Mayara Lisboa Bastos, Chantal Valiquette, Diana Gibson, Frimege Djohoun, Olivia Oxlade, Federica Fregonese, Dissou Affolabi, Valentin Kouchade, Elisa Aguiar, Renata Spener-Gomes, Marcelo Cordeiro-Santos, Renato T Stein, Marcelo Scotta, Andrea Benedetti, Dick Menzies
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-07-01
Series:PLoS Medicine
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1004666
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849243176653553664
author Menonli Adjobimey
Anete Trajman
Mayara Lisboa Bastos
Chantal Valiquette
Diana Gibson
Frimege Djohoun
Olivia Oxlade
Federica Fregonese
Dissou Affolabi
Valentin Kouchade
Elisa Aguiar
Renata Spener-Gomes
Marcelo Cordeiro-Santos
Renato T Stein
Marcelo Scotta
Andrea Benedetti
Dick Menzies
author_facet Menonli Adjobimey
Anete Trajman
Mayara Lisboa Bastos
Chantal Valiquette
Diana Gibson
Frimege Djohoun
Olivia Oxlade
Federica Fregonese
Dissou Affolabi
Valentin Kouchade
Elisa Aguiar
Renata Spener-Gomes
Marcelo Cordeiro-Santos
Renato T Stein
Marcelo Scotta
Andrea Benedetti
Dick Menzies
author_sort Menonli Adjobimey
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>The World Health Organization recommends evaluation of all household contacts (HHC) of index tuberculosis (TB) patients for TB disease (TBD) and TB infection (TBI). Tests to identify TBI and TBD are preferred but can be skipped in persons living with HIV and children <5 years. There is equipoise on the need for these tests in other HHC.<h4>Methods</h4>We conducted a superiority, open label cluster-randomized trial in Benin and Brazil to compare three strategies to evaluate HHC aged 5-50 of persons newly diagnosed with drug susceptible pulmonary TBD: Standard: tuberculin skin testing (TST) for TBI and if positive, chest X-ray (CXR) to rule out TBD; rapid molecular test (RMT): same as Standard, except CXR replaced by an RMT; and No-TST: CXR for all but no TST. Randomization was computer-generated and stratified by country, in blocks of variable length. The primary outcome was TB preventive therapy (TPT) initiation among HHC considered eligible (positive TST, if done, and no evidence of TBD on CXR or RMT). Secondary outcomes were: completion of investigations to detect TBI and TBD, detection of TBD, TPT completion, severe adverse events, and societal costs.<h4>Results</h4>Among 1,589 participating HHC enrolled from 29 January 2020, to 30 November 2022, 474 were randomized to the standard, 583 to the RMT, and 532 to the no-TST strategies; all were included in the analyses. Of 848 HHC considered eligible for TPT, 802 (94.6%) initiated TPT, with no difference between strategies (95%, 94%, and 95% for the standard, RMT, and no-TST strategies, respectively). Of the secondary outcomes, protocol-mandated investigations to detect TBI and exclude possible TBD were completed for 93.4% overall, with slight differences between arms (93%, 95%, and 93% for the standard, RMT, and no-TST strategies, respectively). Adverse events resulting in discontinuation of TPT occurred in 3 (0.4%) participants in total (with 1, 0, and 2 events among participants in the Standard, RMT, and no-TST arms, respectively). The proportion completing TPT was similar with Standard and RMT strategies but was 13% lower (95% confidence interval: 3% to 23% lower) with the No-TST strategy. Societal costs per HHC completing investigations were $61 ($56-$65) with the standard strategy, compared to $52 ($49-$55) with the RMT strategy and $74 ($72-$77) with the no-TST strategy.<h4>Conclusion</h4>This randomized trial provides high-quality evidence that TST followed by selected use of CXR or an RMT to exclude disease can achieve high rates of TPT initiation at reasonable costs. A limitation of the trial is the potential study effect, which may have affected adherence by providers and HHCs. RMT could replace CXR in the management of HHC in resource limited settings.<h4>Registration</h4>clinicaltrials.gov NCT04528823.
format Article
id doaj-art-8cfa63200d5646049ab4b6e58ca6931d
institution Kabale University
issn 1549-1277
1549-1676
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS Medicine
spelling doaj-art-8cfa63200d5646049ab4b6e58ca6931d2025-08-20T03:59:35ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Medicine1549-12771549-16762025-07-01227e100466610.1371/journal.pmed.1004666Rapid molecular testing or chest X-ray or tuberculin skin testing for household contact assessment of tuberculosis infection: A cluster-randomized trial.Menonli AdjobimeyAnete TrajmanMayara Lisboa BastosChantal ValiquetteDiana GibsonFrimege DjohounOlivia OxladeFederica FregoneseDissou AffolabiValentin KouchadeElisa AguiarRenata Spener-GomesMarcelo Cordeiro-SantosRenato T SteinMarcelo ScottaAndrea BenedettiDick Menzies<h4>Background</h4>The World Health Organization recommends evaluation of all household contacts (HHC) of index tuberculosis (TB) patients for TB disease (TBD) and TB infection (TBI). Tests to identify TBI and TBD are preferred but can be skipped in persons living with HIV and children <5 years. There is equipoise on the need for these tests in other HHC.<h4>Methods</h4>We conducted a superiority, open label cluster-randomized trial in Benin and Brazil to compare three strategies to evaluate HHC aged 5-50 of persons newly diagnosed with drug susceptible pulmonary TBD: Standard: tuberculin skin testing (TST) for TBI and if positive, chest X-ray (CXR) to rule out TBD; rapid molecular test (RMT): same as Standard, except CXR replaced by an RMT; and No-TST: CXR for all but no TST. Randomization was computer-generated and stratified by country, in blocks of variable length. The primary outcome was TB preventive therapy (TPT) initiation among HHC considered eligible (positive TST, if done, and no evidence of TBD on CXR or RMT). Secondary outcomes were: completion of investigations to detect TBI and TBD, detection of TBD, TPT completion, severe adverse events, and societal costs.<h4>Results</h4>Among 1,589 participating HHC enrolled from 29 January 2020, to 30 November 2022, 474 were randomized to the standard, 583 to the RMT, and 532 to the no-TST strategies; all were included in the analyses. Of 848 HHC considered eligible for TPT, 802 (94.6%) initiated TPT, with no difference between strategies (95%, 94%, and 95% for the standard, RMT, and no-TST strategies, respectively). Of the secondary outcomes, protocol-mandated investigations to detect TBI and exclude possible TBD were completed for 93.4% overall, with slight differences between arms (93%, 95%, and 93% for the standard, RMT, and no-TST strategies, respectively). Adverse events resulting in discontinuation of TPT occurred in 3 (0.4%) participants in total (with 1, 0, and 2 events among participants in the Standard, RMT, and no-TST arms, respectively). The proportion completing TPT was similar with Standard and RMT strategies but was 13% lower (95% confidence interval: 3% to 23% lower) with the No-TST strategy. Societal costs per HHC completing investigations were $61 ($56-$65) with the standard strategy, compared to $52 ($49-$55) with the RMT strategy and $74 ($72-$77) with the no-TST strategy.<h4>Conclusion</h4>This randomized trial provides high-quality evidence that TST followed by selected use of CXR or an RMT to exclude disease can achieve high rates of TPT initiation at reasonable costs. A limitation of the trial is the potential study effect, which may have affected adherence by providers and HHCs. RMT could replace CXR in the management of HHC in resource limited settings.<h4>Registration</h4>clinicaltrials.gov NCT04528823.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1004666
spellingShingle Menonli Adjobimey
Anete Trajman
Mayara Lisboa Bastos
Chantal Valiquette
Diana Gibson
Frimege Djohoun
Olivia Oxlade
Federica Fregonese
Dissou Affolabi
Valentin Kouchade
Elisa Aguiar
Renata Spener-Gomes
Marcelo Cordeiro-Santos
Renato T Stein
Marcelo Scotta
Andrea Benedetti
Dick Menzies
Rapid molecular testing or chest X-ray or tuberculin skin testing for household contact assessment of tuberculosis infection: A cluster-randomized trial.
PLoS Medicine
title Rapid molecular testing or chest X-ray or tuberculin skin testing for household contact assessment of tuberculosis infection: A cluster-randomized trial.
title_full Rapid molecular testing or chest X-ray or tuberculin skin testing for household contact assessment of tuberculosis infection: A cluster-randomized trial.
title_fullStr Rapid molecular testing or chest X-ray or tuberculin skin testing for household contact assessment of tuberculosis infection: A cluster-randomized trial.
title_full_unstemmed Rapid molecular testing or chest X-ray or tuberculin skin testing for household contact assessment of tuberculosis infection: A cluster-randomized trial.
title_short Rapid molecular testing or chest X-ray or tuberculin skin testing for household contact assessment of tuberculosis infection: A cluster-randomized trial.
title_sort rapid molecular testing or chest x ray or tuberculin skin testing for household contact assessment of tuberculosis infection a cluster randomized trial
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1004666
work_keys_str_mv AT menonliadjobimey rapidmoleculartestingorchestxrayortuberculinskintestingforhouseholdcontactassessmentoftuberculosisinfectionaclusterrandomizedtrial
AT anetetrajman rapidmoleculartestingorchestxrayortuberculinskintestingforhouseholdcontactassessmentoftuberculosisinfectionaclusterrandomizedtrial
AT mayaralisboabastos rapidmoleculartestingorchestxrayortuberculinskintestingforhouseholdcontactassessmentoftuberculosisinfectionaclusterrandomizedtrial
AT chantalvaliquette rapidmoleculartestingorchestxrayortuberculinskintestingforhouseholdcontactassessmentoftuberculosisinfectionaclusterrandomizedtrial
AT dianagibson rapidmoleculartestingorchestxrayortuberculinskintestingforhouseholdcontactassessmentoftuberculosisinfectionaclusterrandomizedtrial
AT frimegedjohoun rapidmoleculartestingorchestxrayortuberculinskintestingforhouseholdcontactassessmentoftuberculosisinfectionaclusterrandomizedtrial
AT oliviaoxlade rapidmoleculartestingorchestxrayortuberculinskintestingforhouseholdcontactassessmentoftuberculosisinfectionaclusterrandomizedtrial
AT federicafregonese rapidmoleculartestingorchestxrayortuberculinskintestingforhouseholdcontactassessmentoftuberculosisinfectionaclusterrandomizedtrial
AT dissouaffolabi rapidmoleculartestingorchestxrayortuberculinskintestingforhouseholdcontactassessmentoftuberculosisinfectionaclusterrandomizedtrial
AT valentinkouchade rapidmoleculartestingorchestxrayortuberculinskintestingforhouseholdcontactassessmentoftuberculosisinfectionaclusterrandomizedtrial
AT elisaaguiar rapidmoleculartestingorchestxrayortuberculinskintestingforhouseholdcontactassessmentoftuberculosisinfectionaclusterrandomizedtrial
AT renataspenergomes rapidmoleculartestingorchestxrayortuberculinskintestingforhouseholdcontactassessmentoftuberculosisinfectionaclusterrandomizedtrial
AT marcelocordeirosantos rapidmoleculartestingorchestxrayortuberculinskintestingforhouseholdcontactassessmentoftuberculosisinfectionaclusterrandomizedtrial
AT renatotstein rapidmoleculartestingorchestxrayortuberculinskintestingforhouseholdcontactassessmentoftuberculosisinfectionaclusterrandomizedtrial
AT marceloscotta rapidmoleculartestingorchestxrayortuberculinskintestingforhouseholdcontactassessmentoftuberculosisinfectionaclusterrandomizedtrial
AT andreabenedetti rapidmoleculartestingorchestxrayortuberculinskintestingforhouseholdcontactassessmentoftuberculosisinfectionaclusterrandomizedtrial
AT dickmenzies rapidmoleculartestingorchestxrayortuberculinskintestingforhouseholdcontactassessmentoftuberculosisinfectionaclusterrandomizedtrial