Consolidated guidance on tuberculosis data generation and use: module 1: tuberculosis surveillance: web annex E: examples of how to report diagnosis, start of treatment and treatment outcomes

This web annex to the WHO consolidated guidance on tuberculosis data generation and use provides practical examples illustrating how tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis, treatment initiation and treatment outcomes should be recorded and reported within TB surveillance systems. Using a series of standardized scenarios, the document demonstrates how case-based records are updated over time and how information should be reflected in weekly, quarterly and annual reports. The examples cover drug-susceptible and rifampicin-resistant TB, including situations involving treatment success, treatment failure, regimen changes and loss to follow-up.

The annex explains the reporting implications of changes in diagnosis and treatment status, particularly in relation to rifampicin-resistant TB and re-registration of patients starting new treatment regimens. It highlights the relationship between individual patient records and aggregated surveillance reporting, supporting consistent interpretation and application of WHO surveillance definitions and reporting standards. The document is intended to strengthen the accuracy, consistency and comparability of TB surveillance data across settings and to support programme monitoring and evaluation within national tuberculosis surveillance systems.