Improving tuberculosis mortality estimates An evaluation of data sources, strategies and new diagnostics in a high tuberculosis and HIV burden setting

Despite being one of the most ancient diseases affecting humans, tuberculosis (TB) remains as one of the 21^st century’s the major global health concerns. The World Health Organization estimated that TB caused around 1,6 millions deaths in 2017. Assessing TB associated mortality is relevant because it helps to understand the true magnitude of TB compared to other diseases, and thus, it is critical for planning and prioritization of health interventions and allocating resources. It is also fundamental for assessing progress on TB control efforts, which will contribute to the assessment of the End-TB and SDG indicators. However, there is much uncertainty on the true mortality burden attributable to TB, and different institutions provide different burden estimates for a given country. The central aim of this thesis is to evaluate different strategies and approaches related to TB mortality measurement through different study designs. Most of the data presented in this thesis has been collected in Southern Mozambique, a low-income setting with a high TB and HIV burden.