title: Can the number of patients with presumptive tuberculosis lost in the general health services in Pakistan be reduced?
abstract: The frequency of patients with presumptive tuberculosis (TB) who are not investigated by sputum smear microscopy is unknown in Pakistan. Using a simple intervention comparing patient and laboratory registers, patients with presumptive TB were identified in two districts from July to December 2013, a list of missing patients was prepared and the patients traced. The intervention significantly reduced the number of patients with presumptive TB lost, from 8.5% before the intervention to 6.9% after. A systematic comparison of out-patient and laboratory registers, followed by tracing missing persons, can reduce the proportion of patients with presumptive TB lost before diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: National Tuberculosis Control Program Pakistan, Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fatima
authors.affiliation: National Tuberculosis Control Program Pakistan, Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Qadeer
authors.affiliation: University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Hinderaker
authors.affiliation: National Tuberculosis Control Program Pakistan, Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yaqoob
authors.affiliation: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Paris, France; University of Stellenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Enarson
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt; University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bassili
authors.affiliation: National Tuberculosis Control Program Pakistan, Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: ul Haq
authors.affiliation: National Tuberculosis Control Program Pakistan, Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Javed
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D018563:Disease Notification; D006801:Humans; D008853:Microscopy; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009313:National Health Programs; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012042:Registries; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology