Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42382009›Full record

ArticleIJID regions2026

Forensic postmortem examination as sentinel evidence of rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis outside routine clinical reporting.

Nathan M Kayonde, Bwalya Mulenga, Cordilia M Himwaze, Chibamba N Mumba, Vutisa Dokowe, Chitala Chingoli, Viktor Telendiy, Luce Mazyopa, Thato M Patlakwe, Linzy Elton and 4 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in IJID regions, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Nathan M KayondeOffice of the State Forensic Pathologist, Lusaka Provincial Forensic Pathology Unit, University Teaching Hospitals, Lusaka, Zambia.
Bwalya MulengaOffice of the State Forensic Pathologist, Lusaka Provincial Forensic Pathology Unit, University Teaching Hospitals, Lusaka, Zambia.
Cordilia M HimwazeOffice of the State Forensic Pathologist, Lusaka Provincial Forensic Pathology Unit, University Teaching Hospitals, Lusaka, Zambia.
Chibamba N MumbaDepartment of Pathology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, The University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.
Vutisa DokoweOffice of the State Forensic Pathologist, Lusaka Provincial Forensic Pathology Unit, University Teaching Hospitals, Lusaka, Zambia.
Chitala ChingoliOffice of the State Forensic Pathologist, Lusaka Provincial Forensic Pathology Unit, University Teaching Hospitals, Lusaka, Zambia.
Viktor TelendiyOffice of the State Forensic Pathologist, Lusaka Provincial Forensic Pathology Unit, University Teaching Hospitals, Lusaka, Zambia.
Luce MazyopaUniversity Teaching Hospitals‒Adult Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.
Thato M PatlakweFaculty of Forensic Pathology, Zambia College of Medicine and Surgery, Lusaka, Zambia.
Linzy EltonCentre for Clinical Microbiology, University College London, London, UK.
John TemboPANDORA-ID-NET Pathogenesis Group, and UNZA-UCLMS Research and Training Program, University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.
Timothy D McHughCentre for Clinical Microbiology, University College London, London, UK.
Francine NtoumiPANDORA-ID-NET Pathogenesis Group, and UNZA-UCLMS Research and Training Program, University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.
Luchenga A Mucheleng'angaOffice of the State Forensic Pathologist, Lusaka Provincial Forensic Pathology Unit, University Teaching Hospitals, Lusaka, Zambia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objectives: Drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) is underascertained when deaths occur outside health facilities. We evaluated whether forensic postmortem molecular testing identifies rifampicin-resistant TB among community deaths not represented in routine clinical reporting. Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study of community deaths receiving medico-legal postmortem examination in Lusaka, Zambia (September 2022-April 2024). Cases with macroscopic features suggestive of TB underwent histologic evaluation, and histology-compatible cases were tested using GeneXpert MTB/RIF Ultra. Results: Among 2988 postmortem examinations, 73 decedents had histologic features consistent with TB. Conclusion: Forensic postmortem molecular testing identified rifampicin-resistant TB among community deaths not represented in routine clinical drug-resistance reporting. Although not informative of prevalence, these findings indicate that postmortem examination can provide sentinel evidence of drug-resistant TB beyond conventional diagnostic pathways.

Indexed as

Community deathsGeneXpert MTB/RIF UltraPostmortem examinationRifampicin-resistant tuberculosisSentinel surveillance

Identifiers

PMID42382009
PMCPMC13314768

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.