Transforming TB Prevention and Care: The Era of Technology and AI

A special issue of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease (ISSN 2414-6366). This special issue belongs to the section "Infectious Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 858

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Technical Department, KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, 2516 AB The Hague, The Netherlands
Interests: access; quality; implementation science; data-driven

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on the transformational role of technology and AI in TB prevention and care.

Ending TB, as highlighted in the WHO Global TB report 2024, demands a renewed focus on urgency, speed, efficiency, and quality in our collective efforts to ending TB. This Special Issue of the journal spotlights the transformational role of technology and AI in accelerating progress towards the equitable access to and delivery of high-quality TB prevention and care services. It will emphasize best practices and enablers for success in leveraging technology and AI for TB prevention and care.

For optimal benefit from this opportunity, authors should share practical approaches in the following areas: navigating national regulatory agencies, ensuring robust data privacy and protection, and promoting equitable access especially for vulnerable populations. Authors are also encouraged to share strategies for engaging professional bodies such as radiologists, managing procurement and maintenance, and determining how to align technological opportunities with existing health systems and infrastructure for sustainable implementation.

This Special Issue will be practical in ensuring the translation of science and opportunities to public health actions and aims to inspire actionable solutions that address current gaps and drive impactful change.

Dr. Mustapha Gidado
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • technology
  • artificial intellence
  • best practices
  • access
  • impact
  • machine learning
  • data analysis
  • computational modeling

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

16 pages, 372 KiB  
Article
Process Evaluation of Pragmatic Cluster-Randomized Trials of Digital Adherence Technologies for Tuberculosis Treatment Support: A Mixed-Method Study in Five Countries
by Norma Madden, Amare W. Tadesse, Chung Lam Leung, Bianca Gonçalves Tasca, Jason Alacapa, Natasha Deyanova, Nontobeko Ndlovu, Nontobeko Mokone, Baraka Onjare, Andrew Mganga, Kristian van Kalmthout, Degu Jerene and Katherine Fielding
Trop. Med. Infect. Dis. 2025, 10(3), 68; https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed10030068 - 6 Mar 2025
Viewed by 654
Abstract
Digital adherence technologies (DATs) could improve the person-centeredness of tuberculosis (TB) treatment. DATs are found to be acceptable, though evidence of their effectiveness is varied. Our objective was to understand the fidelity of DAT interventions within five cluster-randomized trials. Two DATs (smart pillbox, [...] Read more.
Digital adherence technologies (DATs) could improve the person-centeredness of tuberculosis (TB) treatment. DATs are found to be acceptable, though evidence of their effectiveness is varied. Our objective was to understand the fidelity of DAT interventions within five cluster-randomized trials. Two DATs (smart pillbox, medication labels) were assessed, with real-time adherence data available to healthcare providers (HCPs) on a digital platform in Ethiopia, the Philippines, South Africa, Tanzania, and Ukraine. A framework assessed four components of implementation: inputs (training, support, mobile access), processes (SMS, home visits, platform usage), outputs (DAT engagement, manual dosing), and outcomes (people with TB (PwTB)–HCP relationship). Fidelity was evaluated by quantitative indicators, and content analysis of qualitative sub-studies supplemented some indicators. Engagement with DATs was high among PwTB. Pillbox users showed high levels of sustained engagement (box opening), with digitally recorded doses ranging from 82% to 91%. Differences were observed in login frequency by HCPs to the adherence platform. In Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Ukraine, there was at least one login to the platform on 71% of weekdays per facility compared with the Philippines and South Africa at 42% and 52%, respectively. Intervention fidelity varied among countries, suggesting a need for future work on optimizing implementation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transforming TB Prevention and Care: The Era of Technology and AI)
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