A baseline survey of the prevalence of tuberculosis in a community in south India at the commencement of a DOTS programme.
Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 2003;
7:1154-62. [PMID:
14677890]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/27/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To determine the baseline prevalence of culture-positive and smear-positive tuberculosis and the annual risk of tuberculous infection (ARTI) in a community in south India where DOTS is being implemented.
METHODS
Using cluster sampling, 50 rural panchayats (villages) and three urban units in Tiruvallur district were selected randomly. All adults aged > or = 15 years underwent symptom and radiographic examination, and those with abnormal shadows and/or chest symptoms had sputum smear and culture examination. In another cluster sample of 73 villages and three urban units, all children aged < 10 years were tuberculin tested.
RESULTS
The prevalence of culture-positive and smear-positive tuberculosis was respectively 605 and 323/100,000. Both increased appreciably with age, and were substantially higher in males than in females at all ages; the overall male:female ratio was 5.5 for culture-positive and 6.5 for smear-positive tuberculosis. The ARTI in children aged under 10 years was 1.6%, and was unaffected by sex. Over three decades there was an overall decline of 1.8% per annum in the prevalence of culture-positive and 2.1% for smear-positive tuberculosis.
CONCLUSION
Tuberculosis is a major problem in this rural community in south India, with a prevalence of 605/100,000 for culture-positive tuberculosis and 323/100,000 for smear-positive tuberculosis.
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