[DOTS strategy and its application in Russia].

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Disease Control
• Global Health Initiatives

Background:

• The Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course (DOTS) strategy, a key global tuberculosis control program, was implemented in Russia starting in 1994.
• Initial implementation focused on specific regions like Ivanovo, Tomsk, and Mary El Republic, with recent expansion to Leningrad and Arkhangelsk Regions.
• Understanding the effectiveness and challenges of DOTS in the Russian context is crucial for optimizing national tuberculosis control efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the leading principles of the DOTS strategy as applied in the Russian Federation.
• To present the methods used for detecting bacillary patients and the chemotherapy regimens for various tuberculosis cases.
• To analyze the positive outcomes and identify the factors contributing to the insufficient benefits of the DOTS program within Russia.

Main Methods:

• Description of the core components and guiding principles of the DOTS strategy.
• Presentation of diagnostic methods for identifying infectious tuberculosis patients.
• Detailing of chemotherapy schemes and follow-up protocols, including bacteriological and radiological assessments.

Main Results:

• The study outlines the established DOTS strategy principles implemented in Russia since 1994.
• Methods for patient detection, chemotherapy, and follow-up control are presented.
• An analysis highlights both the advantages of the program and the reasons for its limited success in the Russian Federation.

Conclusions:

• The DOTS strategy in Russia, while based on sound principles, has encountered obstacles to its full effectiveness.
• Specific challenges within the Russian Federation hinder the program's optimal benefit.
• Further analysis and adaptation are needed to improve tuberculosis control outcomes through DOTS in Russia.