Tuberculosis management in Europe Recommendations of a Task Force of the European Respiratory Society (ERS), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD) Europe Region.

Abstract

The objective of tuberculosis (TB) control is the elimination of TB by stopping the transmission of the disease [13].This is achieved through the rapid identification and effective treatment of infectious cases [13].Modern anti-TB chemotherapy is based on the principle of administering properly selected standardized therapeutic schemes at proper dosage for a sufficient duration [4].Although, in several European countries, national guidelines, have been produced to standardize diagnostic and treatment procedures, as suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD) [13], a comprehensive document focused on TB management in Europe is not available.[1, 57].As TB still remains a relevant public health problem in Europe [811], a European Task Force was established within the European Respiratory Society (ERS), involving ERS, WHO and IUATLD experts, to produce guide-lines on TB management in Europe specifically designed for specialists treating TB patients.The guidelines, which are consistent with WHO/IUATLD documents previously published in Europe, are particularly focused on standardized anti-TB treatment, treatment result monitoring and treatment in special situations.