title: Medical interns knowledge of TB in Pakistan.
abstract: Of 460 interns from five Pakistani teaching hospitals surveyed, only 22% correctly identified the estimated number of new TB cases in Pakistan. The majority (96%) knew that droplet infection was the usual mode of transmission. Only 38% considered sputum smears for acid-fast bacilli as the best test for diagnosis of pulmonary TB and 43.5% for follow-up during TB treatment. The recommended four-drug anti-TB regimen was prescribed by 56.5% in the initiation phase and the recommended two-drug combination in the continuation phase by 52%. Most interns (82%) were unable to identify a single component of directly observed treatment short course (DOTS) strategy. Our study reflects poor awareness of and low compliance to the World Health Organization/National Tuberculosis Programme guidelines among interns. For effective control of TB, immediate action to improve undergraduate and continuing medical education is essential, with special emphasis on national guidelines.
authors.affiliation: The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan. javaid.khan@aku.edu
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zahid
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rizvi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rab
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Javed
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ait-Khaled
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Enarson
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D010154:Pakistan; D014376:Tuberculosis