title: High prevalence of tuberculosis in previously treated patients, Cape Town, South Africa.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Desmond Tutu Centre, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa. denboons@kncvtbc.nl
authors.forename: Saskia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: den Boon
authors.forename: Schalk W P
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: van Lill
authors.forename: Martien W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Borgdorff
authors.forename: Donald A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Enarson
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Verver
authors.forename: Eric D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Bateman
authors.forename: Elvis
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Irusen
authors.forename: Carl J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lombard
authors.forename: Neil W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Villiers
authors.forename: Nulda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Beyers
mesh_terms: 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