title: TB Control in Singapore: the high price of diagnostic delay.
abstract: Singapore has experienced a rise in the tuberculosis (TB) incidence rate among her local population since 2008, which we believe, is contributed in no small part to a recent increase in community transmission due to delayed diagnosis of infectious pulmonary TB cases. Data from the TB notification registry showed an increase from 2004 to 2008 in the number and proportion of sputum acid-fast bacilli smear-positive pulmonary TB cases with prolonged cough. Two surveys at the TB Control Unit showed that healthcare system delays exceeded patient delay in seeking medical consultation. There is thus an urgent need to heighten TB awareness among the public and the medical community in order to reduce the time taken to diagnose infectious TB cases in Singapore.
authors.affiliation: TB Control Unit, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore. cynthia_chee@ttsh.com.sg
authors.forename: Cynthia B E
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Chee
authors.forename: Suay Hong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.forename: Angeline P G
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Chua
authors.forename: Yee Tang
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D057210:Delayed Diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology