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Prevalence of sputum smear positive tuberculosis among patients at University of Maiduguri teaching hospital
Abstract
Background: Sputum examination is of great value in making a diagnosis of pulmonary TB and in follow-up of patients' progress under antiTB treatment. The prevalence of smear positive cases of pulmonary TB among hospital patients differs from one place to another and reflects the level of risk posed to close contacts of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.
Objective: To determine the prevalence of sputum smear positive tuberculosis amongst pulmonary tuberculosis patients at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
Methods: This was a retrospective study in which the records of all patients treated for tuberculosis at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital between January 2001 and December 2003 were retrieved and analyzed. Information obtained from the records included demographic data and results of routine three early morning sputum specimens collected from the patients for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis using Ziehl Nielsen (ZN) staining technique for the detection of acid-fast bacilli (AFB).
Results: A total of 1369 patients, among whom 815 (59.5%) were males and 554 (40.5%) were females qualified for recruitment into this study. Age group 31-40 years had the highest smear positive cases and those below 10 years had the lowest. The overall prevalence of sputum smear positive tuberculosis was 12.78%.
Conclusion: The prevalence of sputum smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis of 12.78% is lower that that of studies in other parts of Nigeria. HIV screening should be incorporated into the DOTs programme of 25 the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme.
Keywords: Smear positive tuberculosis, prevalence, Nigerians
Highland Medical Research Journal Vol. 3(2) 2005: 24-30
Objective: To determine the prevalence of sputum smear positive tuberculosis amongst pulmonary tuberculosis patients at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
Methods: This was a retrospective study in which the records of all patients treated for tuberculosis at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital between January 2001 and December 2003 were retrieved and analyzed. Information obtained from the records included demographic data and results of routine three early morning sputum specimens collected from the patients for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis using Ziehl Nielsen (ZN) staining technique for the detection of acid-fast bacilli (AFB).
Results: A total of 1369 patients, among whom 815 (59.5%) were males and 554 (40.5%) were females qualified for recruitment into this study. Age group 31-40 years had the highest smear positive cases and those below 10 years had the lowest. The overall prevalence of sputum smear positive tuberculosis was 12.78%.
Conclusion: The prevalence of sputum smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis of 12.78% is lower that that of studies in other parts of Nigeria. HIV screening should be incorporated into the DOTs programme of 25 the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme.
Keywords: Smear positive tuberculosis, prevalence, Nigerians
Highland Medical Research Journal Vol. 3(2) 2005: 24-30
