Evaluation of School-Based Tuberculosis Screening Results After Index Case (Both Intellectual Disability and Cavitary Pulmonary Tuberculosis)

Abstract

Objective: Tuberculosis is an important public health problem. Tuberculosis prevalence is high in low-income countries. It is contagious, and therefore a risk for people in public living areas. It is contagious, and therefore a risk for people in public areas. Also, people with intellectual disability stay in the same public areas. Therefore, they are also at risk. The aim of our study was to investigate the contact of persons in the same center with an index case. Materials and methods: Contact investigation was conducted in a training and rehabilitation center. Tuberculosis-specific parameters were measured from the patients. Results: All contacts (n=39) were male. Fifteen contacts were offered follow-up without medication. Fifteen contacts were given medication for prophylaxis. Latent tuberculosis was detected in 8 patients. Possible tuberculosis was detected in one patient. Contagion of tuberculosis from the index case to his roommates measured 16.6%. Tuberculosis contagion from the patient with possible tuberculosis to his roommates measured 37.5%. Patients with latent tuberculosis and possible tuberculosis were medicated according to international criteria. Conclusion: People with intellectual disability do not fully define the symptoms of the disease. Therefore, the prognosis may be made when the disease is diagnosed by a health professional. Also, some tests may not be performed because communication is not possible. For this reason, clinicians should be more careful in screening people with intellectual disability for TB. Also, the fight against tuberculosis should be continued without interruption.