Treatment outcomes for human African Trypanosomiasis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: analysis of routine program data from the world's largest sleeping sickness control program; Résultats du traitement de la trypanosomiase humaine africaine en République démocratique du Congo: Analyse des données du programme de routine du plus grand programme mondial de lutte contre la maladie du sommeil; Resultados del tratamiento para la Tripanosomiasis Africana en la República Democrática del Congo:

• Published in: Tropical medicine & international health Vol. 17; no. 9; p. 1127
• Main Authors: Hasker, E, Mpanya, A, Makabuza, J, Mbo, F, Lumbala, C, Kumpel, J, Claeys, Y, Kande, V, Ravinetto, R, Menten, J, Lutumba, P, Boelaert, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.09.2012
• Subjects: Clinical outcomes; Disease control; Medical treatment; Parasitic diseases; Congo-Democratic Republic of Congo
• ISSN: 1360-2276; 1365-3156
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3156.2012.03042.x

Objective: To enable the human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) control program of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to generate data on treatment outcomes, an electronic database was developed. The database was piloted in two provinces, Bandundu and Kasai Oriental. In this study, we analyzed routine data from the two provinces for the period 2006-2008. Methods: Data were extracted from case declaration cards and monthly reports available at national and provincial HAT coordination units and entered into the database. Results: Data were retrieved for 15086 of 15741 cases reported in the two provinces for the period (96%). Compliance with post-treatment follow-up was very poor in both provinces; only 25% had undergone at least one post-treatment follow-up examination, <1% had undergone the required four follow-up examinations. Relapse rates among those presenting for follow-up were high in Kasai (18%) but low in Bandundu (0.3%). Conclusions: High relapse rates in Kasai and poor compliance with post-treatment follow-up in both provinces are important problems that the HAT control program urgently needs to address. Moreover, in analogy to tuberculosis control programs, HAT control programs need to adopt a recording and reporting routine that includes reporting on treatment outcomes.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]