Two in five people treated for drug-resistant TB may have depression

The edition in brief

A meta-analysis of 23 studies with 5,734 people being treated for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in low- and lower-middle-income countries estimated depression prevalence at 42%, with higher odds in women and in those with financial hardship, other illnesses, more severe disease, drug side effects or perceived stigma; the authors call for routine screening and psychosocial support. An American Family Physician review sets out what primary care adds while a patient is having cancer treatment: watching for treatment effects and oncological emergencies, keeping diabetes under control so surgery and chemotherapy are not delayed, screening for cardiovascular disease where treatment or risk factors warrant it, and encouraging physical activity. A meta-analysis of 35,704 children under five with diarrhoea in lower-middle-income countries after rotavirus vaccine introduction found rotavirus in 24% and norovirus in 13%, with G3P[8] the commonest rotavirus genotype; heterogeneity between studies was very high.