Scaling up investigation and treatment of household contacts of tuberculosis patients in Brazil: a cost-effectiveness and budget impact analysis

BACKGROUND: In Brazil, investigation and treatment of tuberculosis infection (TBI) in households contacts (HHC) of TB patients is not a priority. We estimated the cost-effectiveness and budget-impact of scaling-up an enhanced HHC management in Brazil. METHODS: We conceptualized a cascade-of-care that captures how HHC of tuberculosis patients are investigated in Brazil (status quo) and two enhanced strategies for management of HHC focusing on: (1) only tuberculosis disease (TBD) detection and, (2) TBD and TBI detection and treatment. Effectiveness was the number of HHC diagnosed with TBD and completing TBI treatment. Proportions in the cascades-of-care were derived from a meta-analysis. Health-system costs (2019 US$) were based on literature and official data from Brazil. The impact of enhanced strategies was extrapolated using reported data from 2019. FINDINGS: With the status quo, 0 (95% uncertainty interval: 0-1) HHC are diagnosed with TBD and 2 (0-16) complete TBI treatment. With strategy(1), an additional 15 (3-45) HHC would be diagnosed with TBD at a cost of US$346 each. With strategy(2), 81 (19-226) additional HHC would complete TBI treatment at a cost of US$84 each. A combined strategy, implemented nationally to enhance TBD detection and TBI treatment would result in an additional 9,711 (845-28,693) TBD being detected, and 51,277 (12,028-143,495) more HHC completing TBI treatment each year, utilizing 10.9% and 11.6% of the annual national tuberculosis program budget, respectively. INTERPRETATION: Enhanced detection and treatment of TBD and TBI among HHC in Brazil can be achieved at a national level using current tools at reasonable cost. FUNDING: None.