Abstract
Background: Despite availability antituberculosis drugs for almost 50 years, tuberculosis (TB) continues to exert an enormous toll on world health. The incidence of TB is increasing all over the world. Qeshm represents a region in south of Iran that is the biggest island in the Persian gulf with 23 thousands inhabitants with a long tradition in TB control, including a centralization of the bacteriological diagnostic facility. The present study was intended to analyze the transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by a combination of conventional epidemiological approaches. Methods: Mycobacterium tuberculosis analyzed in this study were collected at the Health Care Center in Qeshm, Iran. A total of 81 new, bacteriologically verified TB cases were registered in Qeshm Island between 2003 and 2008. All the isolates were examined for their susceptibility to ethambutol, isoniazid, streptomycin, rifampin, and pyrazinamide by using a radiometric culture system (BACTEC). The data obtained from the cultures analyses were interpreted by using demographic data, such as age, sex, ethnicity, and residence, for the patients. The risk factors among the patients for being part of an active chain of transmission, as opposed to demonstrating reactivation of a previously acquired latent infection, were estimated by statistical analyses (SPSS). Results: A total of 81 clinical isolates belonging to patients having pulmonary and extra pulmonary tuberculosis were collected during Jan 2003 to Nov 2008. The incidence of tuberculosis in female was 25.9% and in male was 74.1%. This survey observed 47.1% of immigrated Afghans and 39.1% of Pakistanis were infected with tuberculosis. Regarding the literacy 57% were unlettered. 91.7% of people referring to health center were new patients. 68.8% people were infected with pulmonary tuberculosis. The peoples over 60 year were highest group infected to pulmonary tuberculosis (30.4%) and age groups 30-44 were highest the cases infection external pulmonary tuberculosis. The major chains of recent transmission were localized to distinct geographical regions in the area. Conclusion: TB is frequent among immigrants, especially from Afghanistan and Pakistan, but it is apparently readily suspected, diagnosed, and treated by the health care system. Indigenous patients with pulmonary symptoms are not primarily suspected to have TB and, therefore, play an important role in recent TB transmission in Qeshm. Abstracts for SupplementInternational Journal of Infectious DiseasesVol. 14Preview Full-Text PDF Open Archive
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