A preliminary report on pulmonary tuberculosis in patient travelers to a rural hospital of South India.
BACKGROUND
Occurrence of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) among patient travelers in private rural hospitals are often unknown.


OBJECTIVE
The aims of the study were to know the occurrence of PTB among patient travelers visiting PES hospital and to create an information and awareness in the establishment of revised national tuberculosis control program (RNTCP) in PES hospital.


METHODS
Adult patients (18-49yr) with TB-like chest symptoms traveling from different regions to Kuppam were included. Children, pregnant women and critically ill were excluded. Between January-December 2004, 372 such patients visited PES hospital. Two consecutive sputum samples were screened for AFB detection by Ziehl-Neelsen. Presence of AFB in both the smears was considered smear positive TB. Negative smears with X-ray abnormality was considered smear-negative TB. Anti-tubercular drugs were prescribed for TB patients.


RESULTS
Of 372 patients visited, 29% were diagnosed as TB. Smear-positive and smear-negative TB were 16.6% and 12.3%, respectively. TB among females (31/113) and males (77/259) were 27.4% and 29.7%, respectively. The peak input of patients was in the months of May (53), March (48) and December (35).


CONCLUSIONS
There is an urgent need for establishment of RNTCP in PES hospital.
Navaneeth
B V
BV
Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, PES Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Kuppam 517425, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh, India. navam1@rediffmail.com
Thinagaran
K
K
Sulaiman
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019035:Rural Health Services; D014195:Travel; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology