Author/Authors :
Asgharzadeh Mohammad نويسنده , Aghazadeh Mohammad نويسنده Tabriz Research Center of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. , SAMADI KAFIL Hossein نويسنده Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran AND Dept. of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran SAMADI KAFIL Hossein , Zahedi Bialvaei Abed نويسنده Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IR Iran , Nourazarian Manouchehr نويسنده Drug Applied Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz
University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IR Iran
Abstract :
Background Despite the implementation of the national control
program, tuberculosis is one of the greatest health problems in Iran.
The prevalence of different strains in specific ethnic populations
suggests that Mycobacterium tuberculosis transmission
has been limited and restricted to close contact. Objectives In the
present review, we describe the epidemiology of tuberculosis in Iran.
Methods In this review article, databases including Scopus, PubMed, and
Google scholar were used to search for the epidemiology of tuberculosis
in Iran. Results Since 1996, tuberculosis incidence has been decreased
as the national tuberculosis control program was established in Iran.
However, due to the emergence of drug-resistant strains, recurrence of
the disease, and association of tuberculosis with HIV pandemic,
tuberculosis is becoming a health problem in Iran like many other parts
of the world. Moreover, several other factors such as poverty,
homelessness, inadequate access to health services, and lack of
infrastructure in public health play an important role in worsening the
situation. The distribution of the disease is not similar in all parts
of Iran and it is higher in the western and eastern parts than the
central areas. Conclusions Review of the studies revealed that levels of
multidrug-resistant tuberculosis among new tuberculosis patients are
increasing in Iran and the vaccination system needs to be reformed.
Because of the increasing number of patients coming from neighboring
countries with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, this area needs more
stewardship and control in order to prevent the outbreak of
multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Finally, by improving the healthcare
system, it is trusted that a more noteworthy number of these patients
will be cured in Iran.
