Estimation of Annual Risk of Infection of Tuberculosis in District Patiala, INDI

Abstract

PURPOSE: Epidemiological situation of tuberculosis needs to be studied in order to have baseline data and to formulate strategies and to see the impact of such strategies for control of tuberculosis. Various epidemiological indices like tuberculin test, chest X-ray, sputum examination and mortality rate etc. have been used in the past to study the epidemiological situation. However in the given scenario of high prevalence of tuberculosis and large population these methods are found to be expensive and time consuming. Annual risk of infection (ARI) is one epidemiological indices which has been found to be useful to study the epidemiological situation because it is easy to perform and is cost effective. However there is controversy about the study of ARI in BCG vaccinated children. In the era of universal immunization program (UIP) it is very difficult to find sufficient number of non BCG vaccinated children. Therefore ARI was estimated amongst BCG vaccinated and non BCG vaccinated children.