The objective: to evaluate changes in parameters of psycho-emotional state in children with respiratory tuberculosis (RTB) in in-patient settings after psychological management using relaxation and mindfulness practices and telephone counseling.

Subjects and Methods. 64 children ill with respiratory tuberculosis aged 6-13 years old were enrolled in the study and divided into 2 groups: those examined before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (January 2019 – February 2020) (n = 30) and those examined during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020 – February 2022) (n = 34). In the groups, the levels of emotional tension, anxiety and excitement in children were studied. The article also presents comparative assessment of changes in the parameters of psycho-emotional state in the group of children examined during the pandemic and after 2 months of psychological management.

Results. Children admitted to the hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic were significantly more likely to have abnormal parameters of psychoemotional state versus children hospitalized before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. After 2 months of psychological management using relaxation and mindfulness practices and telephone counseling, most children demonstrated improvement of their psycho-emotional state parameters.

The article analyzes changes in the epidemic tuberculosis situation in children and factors influencing it. Data from tuberculosis statistical surveillance forms and on-line monitoring data for the biggest available period were studied. It was found that in 2021, tuberculosis incidence increased in children of 0-14 years old, and this increase was statistically significant (p < 0.05) in the group of children of 7-14years old (from 5.6 to 6.3 per 100,000 children of 7-14 years old), which may be related to the COVID-19 pandemic: increased epidemic risk of tuberculosis infection sources and increased exposure of children primarily of school age, who were switched to distant learning.

The increase in tuberculosis incidence among children exposed to tuberculosis patients from 143.8 to 183.0 per 100,000 exposed children may be further attributed to decreased dissociating of contacts by hospitalizing children to tuberculosis sanatoria. Theepidemic tuberculosis situation in children is expected to deteriorate due to increased migration from the country with an unfavorable tuberculosis situation, i.e. Ukraine. Tuberculosis mortality in children continued to decline; there were no signs that it would increase in 2022.

The objective: to determine groups at high risk of developing tuberculosis (TB) among adult population of Kaluga Oblast.

Subjects and Methods: data from Federal Statistical Surveillance Forms no. 8, 33, 12, 36, and 37 for 2015-2021, Rosstat data on the population of Kaluga Oblast. Pearson's chi-square test (χ2) was used for data analysis.

Results. Among adult population, 8 groups facing the high risk of developing tuberculosis have been identified: HIV-positive individuals, people exposes to tuberculosis patients with a positive result of sputum testing, drug users, inmates staying in institutions of the Federal Penitentiary Service, individuals not screened for ≥ 2 years, homeless, migrants, and persons with alcohol addiction.

According to results of analysis of factors that had a negative impact on the course of respiratory tuberculosis, the highest risk of developing a severe course was registered only in groups at advanced risk of tuberculosis: HIV-positive individuals, drug users, persons with alcohol addiction, homeless, individuals not screened for ≥ 2 years, and people exposes to tuberculosis patients with a positive result of sputum testing.

The objective: to evaluate effectiveness of mass screening for tuberculosis infection in children and adolescents in Moscow using two different options according to age; to determine impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on effectiveness of screening campaign judging by incidence rates in children and adolescents.

Subjects and Methods. In 2021, 758,634 children aged 0-7 years, or 99.2% of those to be screened, were screened using the Mantoux test. Should the reaction increase compared to the previous year, an additional test with the tuberculosis recombinant allergen (TRA) was performed. Children of 8-17 years old were screened only with TRA test. 1,070,961 people were examined, or 97.9% of those to be examined.

Results. It has been demonstrated that the test with TRA can be used as a screening tool and effectively identify patients with a high risk of tuberculosis development. The preventive therapy received by those positively responding to TRA test resulted in almost no disease in them. The predominance of new cases with post-tuberculosis changes over new cases of active tuberculosis while the number of both is decreasing indicates the ability of the methods (TRA together with computed tomography) to detect minor forms of the active disease and post-tuberculous changes. In 2021 versus 2020, the number of children diagnosed with tuberculosis did not statistically significantly increase because of those who failed to be detected in 2020 due to incomplete coverage with screening related to spread of COVID-19. However, in 2021 the rates were lower than in 2019 which confirmed their positive change.

Conclusion: Screening with TRA test is effective, easy to perform and can be used in primary health care.

The objective: to study drug susceptibility of M. avium and M. intracellulare isolates received from patients with mycobacteriosis residing in the North Western Federal District using the Sensititre SLOMYCO panels.

Subjects and Methods. From 2014 to 2020, 192 slow-growing MAC strains (164 – M. avium, 28 – M. intracellulare) obtained from HIV-negative patients with pulmonary mycobacteriosis were studied. Drug susceptibility testing of MAC strains was performed using the Sensititre SLOMYCO panel consisting of 13 antibacterial drugs.

Results. Of the 13 antibacterial drugs, clarithromycin was also most effective against both M. avium (67.1%; 110/164) and M. intracellulare (60.7%; 17/28) (p > 0.05). The proportion of M. avium and M. intracellulare strains sensitive to linezolid was high and amounted to 57.3 and 53.5%, as well as to amikacin – 57.3 and 53.5% respectively.

Of the four antibacterial drugs of the Sensititre SLOMYCO panel (clarithromycin, moxifloxacin, linezolid, and amikacin), for which critical concentrations (CC) were established, clarithromycin was the most effective against M. avium and M. intracellulare. Antibiotic-resistant M. avium isolates were more frequent in the group of previously treated patients.

The objective: evidence-based study of the factors influencing tuberculosis mortality in the Kamchatskiy Kray as a territory withlow population density.

Subjects and Methods. A retrospective cohort study of the unfavorable course of tuberculosis in 512 patients with tuberculosis (new cases and relapses) was carried out. A univariate and multivariate analysis of risk factors for a lethal outcome of tuberculosis was performed.

Results. In a univariate analysis, the incidence of death from tuberculosis among increased in older patients (p < 0.0001), among the unemployed, pensioners and disabled (p = 0.02), homeless (p = 0.01), persons who failed to undergo fluorography for 2 years or more (p = 0.004), patients with a positive result of sputum smear test at registration (p = 0.003), and those suffering from alcoholism (p = 0.03), and decreased in patients who were actively detected (p < 0.0001 ). There was no influence on the probability of death from tuberculosis in the registration group by such parameters as new cases/relapses (p = 0.2), male/female (p = 0.09), urban/rural area of residence (p = 0.7), belonging to the indigenous population (p = 0.6), resistance to rifampicin (p = 1), cardiovascular diseases (p = 0.5), and smoking (p = 0.3). In multivariate analysis, an independent factor that reduced the risk of death was the active detection of tuberculosis patients (aOR = 0.2, p = 0.02).

Conclusion. To reduce the risk of death from tuberculosis in an area with low population density (Kamchatskiy Kray), the priority should be given to improvement of active detection of tuberculosis cases; the proportion of tuberculosis patients detected during preventive screening should be used as an parameter of this improvement.

The review used 61 literature sources to discuss 13 publications devoted to safety of treatment of HIV-associated drug-resistant tuberculosis using basic and new regimens of chemotherapy. According to the literature, no additive toxic effects were detected during treatment with anti-tuberculosis and antiretroviral drugs. According to the literature data, no additive toxic effect was found during treatment with anti-tuberculosis and antiretroviral drugs. In conditions of high prevalence of HIV, the pharmacovigilance of drug interactions in combination therapy is particularly relevant since HIV can indirectly increase the number of ADRs not only due to cross-toxicity but also severe immunosuppression, development of immune system recovery syndrome, opportunistic infections, a characteristic intoxication syndrome, a low index body weight and individual characteristics of patients in this category.