High prevalence of tuberculosis in previously treated patients, Cape Town, South Africa.
The tuberculosis (TB) notification rate is high and increasing in 2 communities in Cape Town, South Africa. In 2002, we conducted a prevalence survey among adults > or = 15 years of age to determine the TB prevalence rate; 15% of households in these communities were randomly sampled. All persons living in sampled households were eligible for chest radiography and sputum examination. Of the 3,483 adults who completed a questionnaire, 2,608 underwent chest radiography and sputum examination. We detected 26 bacteriologically confirmed TB cases and a prevalence of 10.0/1,000 (95% confidence interval [CI] 6.2-13.8 per 1,000). We found 18 patients with smear-positive TB, of whom 8 were new patients (3.1/1,000, 95% CI 0.9-5.1/1,000). More than half of patients with smear-positive TB (10, 56%) had previously been treated. Such patients may contribute to transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the high TB prevalence rate. Successful treatment of TB patients must be a priority.
den Boon
Saskia
S
Desmond Tutu Centre, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa. denboons@kncvtbc.nl
van Lill
Schalk W P
SW
Borgdorff
Martien W
MW
Enarson
Donald A
DA
Verver
Suzanne
S
Bateman
Eric D
ED
Irusen
Elvis
E
Lombard
Carl J
CJ
White
Neil W
NW
de Villiers
Christine
C
Beyers
Nulda
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015995:Prevalence; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission