Survey of French physician practices in treatment and control of transmission of smear-positive tuberculosis.

Objectives: To evaluate isolation practices and management of sputum smear-positive tuberculosis (TB) in France.
Methods: A survey was conducted using a questionnaire e-mailed in 2011 and 2012 to physicians of the French Society of Infectious Diseases, the French Respiratory Society and the French National Society of Internal Medicine.
Results: Of 311 responders, a quarter stated they treated more than 25 TB cases per year. A total of 87.8% declared they routinely used a four-drug regimen in the initial intensive phase. Of the 311 physicians who responded, 31.9% removed isolation precautions after three negative acid-fast bacilli (AFB) sputum results, 19.0% after 15 days of treatment and 34.1% only in case of clinical improvement. According to 71% of the responders, discharge from hospital despite positive AFB sputum smear results was 'possible'. A routine AFB sputum smear was performed after 2 months of treatment by only 21% of the responders.
Conclusion: Despite recent national guidelines, the management of isolation precautions for sputum smear-positive TB remains heterogeneous, and a significant proportion of physicians use a three-drug regimen. Further efforts should be made to implement TB guidelines, mainly by raising awareness through national scientific institutions, but also by obtaining better evidence.