{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]],"date-time":"2026-08-27T05:25:04Z","timestamp":1787808304826,"version":"build-2784847793"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,28]],"date-time":"2026-01-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1769558400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["TropicalMed"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Tuberculosis remains a major public health concern in Uganda, one among the thirty high TB burden countries globally. Despite national progress, gaps persist due to asymptomatic disease, diagnostic limitations, and uneven access to healthcare within the country. This study implemented the Epi-control platform, an AI-driven predictive modelling tool, to predict community-level hotspots and support data-driven active case-finding (ACF). Using retrospective chest X-ray screening data, we integrated demographic, environmental, and human development indicators from open-source databases to model TB risk at sub-parish level. A proprietary Bayesian modelling framework was deployed and validated by comparing TB yields between predicted hotspots and non-hotspot locations. Across Uganda, the model identified significantly higher TB yields in hotspot areas (risk ratio = 1.69, 95% CI 1.41\u20132.02; p &lt; 0.001). The Central and Western regions showed the highest concentrations of hotspots, consistent with their population density and urbanization patterns. The results show that the model prioritized areas with higher observed ACF yield in this retrospective dataset, supporting its potential operational use for screening prioritization under similar implementation conditions. The results demonstrate that AI-based predictive modelling can enhance the efficiency of ACF by targeting high-risk areas for screening. Integrating such predictive tools within national TB programmes may support screening planning and resource prioritization; prospective evaluation and external validation are needed to assess generalisability and incremental impact.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/tropicalmed11020036","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,28]],"date-time":"2026-01-28T15:56:12Z","timestamp":1769615772000},"page":"36","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["AI-Driven Tuberculosis Hotspot Mapping to Optimize Active Case-Finding: Implementing the Epi-Control Platform in Uganda"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5269-5033","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Geofrey","family":"Amanya","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Ministry of Health Uganda, Lourdel Road, Plot 6, Lourdel Road, Nakasero, Kampala P.O. Box 7272, Uganda"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3563-4359","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sumbul","family":"Hashmi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"EPCON, Lange Gasthuisstraat 29\/31, B-2000 Antwerp, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jessica Sarah","family":"Stow","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"EPCON, Workshop 17, 146 Campground Rd, 3rd Floor, Snakepit Building, Newlands, Cape Town 7780, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Philip","family":"Tumwesigye","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"LPHS-TB and Urban Health Activity, Infectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 22418, Uganda"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bernadette","family":"Nkhata","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"EPCON, Workshop 17, 146 Campground Rd, 3rd Floor, Snakepit Building, Newlands, Cape Town 7780, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8647-2399","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kelvin Roland","family":"Mubiru","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"LPHS-TB and Urban Health Activity, Infectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 22418, Uganda"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anne-Laure","family":"Budts","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"EPCON, Lange Gasthuisstraat 29\/31, B-2000 Antwerp, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9919-9210","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Matthys Gerhardus","family":"Potgieter","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"EPCON, Workshop 17, 146 Campground Rd, 3rd Floor, Snakepit Building, Newlands, Cape Town 7780, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Seyoum Dejene","family":"Balcha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ministry of Health Uganda, Lourdel Road, Plot 6, Lourdel Road, Nakasero, Kampala P.O. Box 7272, Uganda"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Muzamiru","family":"Bamuloba","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ministry of Health Uganda, Lourdel Road, Plot 6, Lourdel Road, Nakasero, Kampala P.O. Box 7272, Uganda"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Andiswa","family":"Zitho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"EPCON, Workshop 17, 146 Campground Rd, 3rd Floor, Snakepit Building, Newlands, Cape Town 7780, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Luzze","family":"Henry","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ministry of Health Uganda, Lourdel Road, Plot 6, Lourdel Road, Nakasero, Kampala P.O. Box 7272, Uganda"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-9041-3684","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mary G.","family":"Nabukenya-Mudiope","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"LPHS-TB and Urban Health Activity, Infectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 22418, Uganda"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Caroline","family":"Van Cauwelaert","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"EPCON, Lange Gasthuisstraat 29\/31, B-2000 Antwerp, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"WHO (2025, August 12). WHO Conducts Mid-Term Review of Uganda\u2019s Response to TB|WHO|Regional Office for Africa [Internet]. 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