TBseuranta

TBseuranta is a system for the collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of information about tuberculosis cases and related factors within a country or region. It forms part of public health surveillance and supports TB control activities by providing timely data to health authorities, laboratories, and clinical providers.

The purpose of TBseuranta is to monitor incidence and trends, identify high-risk groups, track transmission patterns, and assess the effectiveness of interventions such as treatment regimens and directly observed therapy (DOT). It also tracks drug resistance, including multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), to inform treatment guidelines and resource allocation.

Data sources and indicators in TBseuranta typically include mandatory notification of diagnosed TB cases by clinicians and laboratories, laboratory test results (smear, culture, and drug susceptibility testing), patient demographics, site of disease, geographic origin, and treatment outcomes (cured, completed, failed, default, died). Program indicators such as time to treatment initiation and cure rates may also be collected. Data are linked across national health registries while ensuring patient privacy and data security.

Governance and reporting are usually conducted by a national public health institute or equivalent authority, in collaboration with hospitals, clinics, and laboratories. Regular surveillance reports are published for policymakers and the public, with standards aligned to WHO and EU/ECDC guidelines.

TBseuranta informs prevention strategies, resource planning, vaccine and screening policies for high-risk groups, and the evaluation of TB control programs. It supports rapid outbreak detection and helps monitor progress toward national targets and international goals such as the WHO End TB Strategy.