TY - JOUR T1 - Tuberculosis elimination: theory and practice in Europe JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J SP - 1410 LP - 1420 DO - 10.1183/09031936.00198813 VL - 43 IS - 5 AU - Lia D'Ambrosio AU - Masoud Dara AU - Marina Tadolini AU - Rosella Centis AU - Giovanni Sotgiu AU - Marieke J. van der Werf AU - Mina Gaga AU - Daniela Cirillo AU - Antonio Spanevello AU - Mario Raviglione AU - Francesco Blasi AU - Giovanni Battista Migliori Y1 - 2014/05/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/43/5/1410.abstract N2 - Although Europe identified the pathway to tuberculosis (TB) elimination in 1990, no information on programmes for country preparedness is available. A questionnaire investigating TB elimination activities was submitted to 38 national TB programme representatives of low TB incidence (<20 cases per 100 000 population) European countries/territories of the World Health Organization European region. Out of 31 providing a complete answer, 17 (54.8%) reported to have a dedicated national TB programme, 20 (64.5%) a national plan including TB elimination (13 (41.9%) including targets), 22 (71%) guidelines, 14 (45.2%) a specific budget for TB activities, and 23 (74.2%) TB reference centres. All countries reported having case-based electronic TB surveillance, 19 (61.3%) perform regular supervision, 12 (38.7%) have a monitoring and evaluation plan and five (16.1%) perform modelling. In three countries (9.7%), TB health services are free for insured individuals only. In 22 countries/territories (71%) not all TB drugs were available, while in 12 (38.7%) drug stock-outs have been described. Although high-risk group screening for latent TB infection is performed by the majority of countries, only 6 (19.4%) provided figures on preventive treatment completion rates. Not all elements identified as essential for country preparedness to achieve TB elimination are available in the countries surveyed. As TB elimination interventions are sub-optimally applied, more training, awareness and political commitment are necessary http://ow.ly/ru6PV ER -