PP5 EVALUATION OF TUBERCULOSIS PREVENTIVE TREATMENT FOR LATENT TUBERCULOSIS INFECTION IN MALAYSIA
Aslene Siu Tjing Yeoh1, Siti Hafsah Abdul Halim2, Mugilan Ganason2, Peter Seah Keng Tok1
1 Institute for Clinical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Malaysia
2 Tuberculosis/Leprosy Sector, Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Putrajaya, Malaysia
Introduction
The provision of tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT) to individuals with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is essential to prevent tuberculosis (TB) disease progression and achieve the goals of the End TB Strategy.
Objectives
This study assessed the effectiveness of TPT among individuals with LTBI and the factors associated with TB disease progression in Malaysia.
Methodology
Secondary datasets of individuals with LTBI and the TB disease registry from national surveillance databases in Malaysia were linked and utilised in this study. All individuals diagnosed with LTBI from 2021 to 2022 were included, and TB disease progression was assessed from 2021 to 2024. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate TPT effectiveness and factors associated with TB disease progression.
Results
A total of 10,820 individuals with LTBI were included in the study. TPT was initiated in about two-thirds of them, and a further two-thirds of those who initiated TPT completed it. TPT completion was associated with lower odds of TB disease progression (aOR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.22–0.60). Factors associated with lower odds of TB disease progression included being contacts of TB patients and being healthcare workers, while factors associated with higher odds of TB disease progression included having diabetes mellitus and testing positive using interferon-gamma release assays.
Conclusions
TPT completion was associated with over 60% reduction in the odds of TB disease progression among individuals with LTBI. Study findings provide feedback to the LTBI programmatic management and inform future strategies to optimise the provision of TPT.