Abakay, Abdurrahman Dicle Üniversitesi - Tıp Fakültesi - Göğüs Hastalıkları Ana bilim Dalı, Turkey , Tanrıkulu, Abdullah Çetin Dicle Üniversitesi - Tıp Fakültesi - Göğüs Hastalıkları Ana Bilim Dalı, Turkey , Abakay, Özlem Göğüs Hastalıkları Hastanesi, Turkey , Şen, Hatice Selimoğlu Dicle Üniversitesi - Tıp Fakültesi - Göğüs Hastalıkları Ana Bilim Dalı, Turkey , Ataman, Arzu 1 Nolu Verem Savaşı Dispanseri, Turkey , Şenyiğit, Abdurrahman Dicle Üniversitesi - Tıp Fakültesi - Göğüs Hastalıkları Ana Bilim Dalı, Turkey

Is household contact screening enough in tuberculosis patients? A Village screening results

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Objectives: Transmission of tuberculosis (TB) disease occurs with droplet infection and contact time and intensity are important factors in contagion. In this report, the results of a village TB screening were presented, due to a non-compliant patient that abandoned regular TB treatment.Materials and methods: In ‘Diyarbakir No.1 Tuberculosis Dispensary, TB treatment was started in a 18 year-old male patient with the diagnosis of ‘new sputum smear positive lung tuberculosis’. However, this patient lost to follow-up of therapy in the second month. After three months, the patient was found again and then anti-TB drugs were began for the diagnosis of ‘treatment after interruption smear positive lung tuberculosis’. Therefore directly observed TB treatment was given to this patient and therapy resulted in complete cure.Results: Patient was an inhabitant of a village bound to Diyarbakir city and 810 people lived there, thus a microfilm screening was performed in this village. Microfilms of 485 persons were taken and tuberculin skin test (TST) was performed to 225 people in this investigation. Sputum smear was obtained from 15 people. Four additional people diagnosed as pulmonary TB so these people received antituberculosis therapy. Eighteen people took prophylactic isoniazid therapy due to positive TST reactivity. Four patients with TB were close relatives of the index patient. In this village, tuberculosis prevalence was 617 per thousand in 2006.Conclusion: In low-socioeconomic people, TB patient should be looked for not only with passive methods, but also with active methods. Furthermore, TB scanning should be carried not only in index patient’s household contacts, but also in persons having close relationships with him because of social life.

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Tuberculosis , contact , screening , village life , close relatives

Dicle Medical Journal

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