title: Extrapulmonary tuberculosis among females in South Asia-gap analysis.
abstract: The percentage of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) among new and relapse tuberculosis cases in South Asia (Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh) ranged from 19% to 23% in 2014. While tuberculosis was reportedly more prevalent in males, a higher preponderance of EPTB was observed in females. National tuberculosis control programs are highly focused on pulmonary tuberculosis. This creates gaps in the surveillance, diagnosis, and study of EPTB among females, which is especially pronounced in the South Asian setting. We have reviewed recently published literatures from January 2010 to June 2016 reporting EPTB in females with a view to evaluate the current epidemiology, risk factors, diagnostic modalities, and treatment outcomes. We report significant gaps in the surveillance of EPTB among women in South Asia, emphasizing the need for greater focus on EPTB in females to overcome current surveillance and knowledge gaps.
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Regional Country Office, Islamabad, Pakistan; Polio Eradication and Immunization Cell, Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Sindh, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Jaishri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mehraj
authors.affiliation: Aga Khan University Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Zain Yar
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Dania Khalid
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Saeed
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Sadia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shakoor
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. Electronic address: rumina.hasan@aku.edu.
authors.forename: Rumina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hasan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001208:Asia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Female:male ratio; Females; South Asia; Tuberculosis