Fifteen years of rifampicin-resistant TB control in Niger: high countrywide treatment uptake and success

I Maman Lawan; T Decroo; M B Souleymane; A Soumana; C L Aboubacar; A Gagara; R Hamissou Moussa; A A Kabirou Amoussa; I Hamidou; S Hamidou Moussa; M Adamou; E Adehossi; S Mamadou; B Catherine de Jong; L Rigouts; N Lorent; M Doutchi; A Piubello

doi:10.5588/ijtldopen.25.0455

Fifteen years of rifampicin-resistant TB control in Niger: high countrywide treatment uptake and success

I Maman Lawan
, T Decroo
, M B Souleymane
, A Soumana
, C L Aboubacar
, A Gagara
, R Hamissou Moussa
, A A Kabirou Amoussa
, I Hamidou
, S Hamidou Moussa
, M Adamou
, E Adehossi
, S Mamadou
, B Catherine de Jong
, L Rigouts
, N Lorent
, M Doutchi
, A Piubello

Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Peer-reviewed journal articles › peer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Few rifampicin-resistant TB (RR-TB) studies show pre-treatment outcomes and definitive treatment outcomes (accounting for RR-TB re-treatment). Our Niger countrywide study covered 15 years to show the trend of RR-TB diagnoses, time-to-treatment initiation, and pre-and on-treatment attrition (loss to follow-up or death).

METHODS: Retrospective study including all Niger RR-TB patients diagnosed between 2008 and 2022.

RESULTS: 872 RR-TB patients were diagnosed, 725 (83.1%) started treatment, and 32 required retreatment. Between 2008 and 2013 (phenotypic testing), 2014 and 2018 (regional molecular testing), and 2019 and 2022 (decentralised molecular testing), the annual average first RR-TB treatment initiations increased from 22 to 50 and 85, and the median time to first RR-TB treatment reduced from 260 to 17 and 11 days, by period. Pre-treatment attrition reduced from 34.1% to 12.8% and 12.6%. On-treatment attrition increased from 8.8% to 13.5% and 19.8%. Overall, 81.7% (N = 725) experienced definitive treatment success. On-treatment attrition was 18.3%, predicted by older age, female gender, low BMI, RR-TB/HIV co-infection, high baseline bacillary load, and treatment initiation between 2019 and 2022.

CONCLUSION: In Niger, over 15 years of RR-TB control, pre-treatment attrition reduced over time, reflecting better access to care. Treatment success was high, exceeding global success. However, increasing on-treatment attrition should be addressed by targeting high-risk groups.

Original language	English
Journal	IJTLD open
Volume	3
Issue number	1
Pages (from-to)	4-10
Number of pages	7
ISSN	3005-7590
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.5588/ijtldopen.25.0455
Publication status	Published - Jan-2026

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Maman Lawan, I., Decroo, T., Souleymane, M. B., Soumana, A., Aboubacar, C. L., Gagara, A., Hamissou Moussa, R., Kabirou Amoussa, A. A., Hamidou, I., Hamidou Moussa, S., Adamou, M., Adehossi, E., Mamadou, S., Catherine de Jong, B., Rigouts, L., Lorent, N., Doutchi, M., & Piubello, A. (2026). Fifteen years of rifampicin-resistant TB control in Niger: high countrywide treatment uptake and success. IJTLD open, 3(1), 4-10. https://doi.org/10.5588/ijtldopen.25.0455

@article{ddf37fd268d04379a82289486787953e,

title = "Fifteen years of rifampicin-resistant TB control in Niger: high countrywide treatment uptake and success",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Few rifampicin-resistant TB (RR-TB) studies show pre-treatment outcomes and definitive treatment outcomes (accounting for RR-TB re-treatment). Our Niger countrywide study covered 15 years to show the trend of RR-TB diagnoses, time-to-treatment initiation, and pre-and on-treatment attrition (loss to follow-up or death).METHODS: Retrospective study including all Niger RR-TB patients diagnosed between 2008 and 2022.RESULTS: 872 RR-TB patients were diagnosed, 725 (83.1\%) started treatment, and 32 required retreatment. Between 2008 and 2013 (phenotypic testing), 2014 and 2018 (regional molecular testing), and 2019 and 2022 (decentralised molecular testing), the annual average first RR-TB treatment initiations increased from 22 to 50 and 85, and the median time to first RR-TB treatment reduced from 260 to 17 and 11 days, by period. Pre-treatment attrition reduced from 34.1\% to 12.8\% and 12.6\%. On-treatment attrition increased from 8.8\% to 13.5\% and 19.8\%. Overall, 81.7\% (N = 725) experienced definitive treatment success. On-treatment attrition was 18.3\%, predicted by older age, female gender, low BMI, RR-TB/HIV co-infection, high baseline bacillary load, and treatment initiation between 2019 and 2022.CONCLUSION: In Niger, over 15 years of RR-TB control, pre-treatment attrition reduced over time, reflecting better access to care. Treatment success was high, exceeding global success. However, increasing on-treatment attrition should be addressed by targeting high-risk groups.",

author = "\{Maman Lawan\}, I and T Decroo and Souleymane, \{M B\} and A Soumana and Aboubacar, \{C L\} and A Gagara and \{Hamissou Moussa\}, R and \{Kabirou Amoussa\}, \{A A\} and I Hamidou and \{Hamidou Moussa\}, S and M Adamou and E Adehossi and S Mamadou and \{Catherine de Jong\}, B and L Rigouts and N Lorent and M Doutchi and A Piubello",

note = "{\textcopyright} 2026 The Authors. FTX: CC BY",

year = "2026",

month = jan,

doi = "10.5588/ijtldopen.25.0455",

language = "English",

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pages = "4--10",

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}

Maman Lawan, I , Decroo, T, Souleymane, MB, Soumana, A, Aboubacar, CL, Gagara, A, Hamissou Moussa, R, Kabirou Amoussa, AA, Hamidou, I, Hamidou Moussa, S, Adamou, M, Adehossi, E, Mamadou, S, Catherine de Jong, B , Rigouts, L, Lorent, N, Doutchi, M & Piubello, A 2026, 'Fifteen years of rifampicin-resistant TB control in Niger: high countrywide treatment uptake and success', IJTLD open, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 4-10. https://doi.org/10.5588/ijtldopen.25.0455

TY - JOUR

T1 - Fifteen years of rifampicin-resistant TB control in Niger: high countrywide treatment uptake and success

AU - Maman Lawan, I

AU - Decroo, T

AU - Souleymane, M B

AU - Soumana, A

AU - Aboubacar, C L

AU - Gagara, A

AU - Hamissou Moussa, R

AU - Kabirou Amoussa, A A

AU - Hamidou, I

AU - Hamidou Moussa, S

AU - Adamou, M

AU - Adehossi, E

AU - Mamadou, S

AU - Catherine de Jong, B

AU - Rigouts, L

AU - Lorent, N

AU - Doutchi, M

AU - Piubello, A

PY - 2026/1

Y1 - 2026/1

N2 - BACKGROUND: Few rifampicin-resistant TB (RR-TB) studies show pre-treatment outcomes and definitive treatment outcomes (accounting for RR-TB re-treatment). Our Niger countrywide study covered 15 years to show the trend of RR-TB diagnoses, time-to-treatment initiation, and pre-and on-treatment attrition (loss to follow-up or death).METHODS: Retrospective study including all Niger RR-TB patients diagnosed between 2008 and 2022.RESULTS: 872 RR-TB patients were diagnosed, 725 (83.1%) started treatment, and 32 required retreatment. Between 2008 and 2013 (phenotypic testing), 2014 and 2018 (regional molecular testing), and 2019 and 2022 (decentralised molecular testing), the annual average first RR-TB treatment initiations increased from 22 to 50 and 85, and the median time to first RR-TB treatment reduced from 260 to 17 and 11 days, by period. Pre-treatment attrition reduced from 34.1% to 12.8% and 12.6%. On-treatment attrition increased from 8.8% to 13.5% and 19.8%. Overall, 81.7% (N = 725) experienced definitive treatment success. On-treatment attrition was 18.3%, predicted by older age, female gender, low BMI, RR-TB/HIV co-infection, high baseline bacillary load, and treatment initiation between 2019 and 2022.CONCLUSION: In Niger, over 15 years of RR-TB control, pre-treatment attrition reduced over time, reflecting better access to care. Treatment success was high, exceeding global success. However, increasing on-treatment attrition should be addressed by targeting high-risk groups.

AB - BACKGROUND: Few rifampicin-resistant TB (RR-TB) studies show pre-treatment outcomes and definitive treatment outcomes (accounting for RR-TB re-treatment). Our Niger countrywide study covered 15 years to show the trend of RR-TB diagnoses, time-to-treatment initiation, and pre-and on-treatment attrition (loss to follow-up or death).METHODS: Retrospective study including all Niger RR-TB patients diagnosed between 2008 and 2022.RESULTS: 872 RR-TB patients were diagnosed, 725 (83.1%) started treatment, and 32 required retreatment. Between 2008 and 2013 (phenotypic testing), 2014 and 2018 (regional molecular testing), and 2019 and 2022 (decentralised molecular testing), the annual average first RR-TB treatment initiations increased from 22 to 50 and 85, and the median time to first RR-TB treatment reduced from 260 to 17 and 11 days, by period. Pre-treatment attrition reduced from 34.1% to 12.8% and 12.6%. On-treatment attrition increased from 8.8% to 13.5% and 19.8%. Overall, 81.7% (N = 725) experienced definitive treatment success. On-treatment attrition was 18.3%, predicted by older age, female gender, low BMI, RR-TB/HIV co-infection, high baseline bacillary load, and treatment initiation between 2019 and 2022.CONCLUSION: In Niger, over 15 years of RR-TB control, pre-treatment attrition reduced over time, reflecting better access to care. Treatment success was high, exceeding global success. However, increasing on-treatment attrition should be addressed by targeting high-risk groups.

U2 - 10.5588/ijtldopen.25.0455

DO - 10.5588/ijtldopen.25.0455

M3 - A1: Peer-reviewed journal articles

C2 - 41552672

SN - 3005-7590

VL - 3

SP - 4

EP - 10

JO - IJTLD open

JF - IJTLD open

IS - 1

ER -

Fifteen years of rifampicin-resistant TB control in Niger: high countrywide treatment uptake and success

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