Epidemiological study of tuberculosis in Damghan city (Iran) during 2003-2007

• Main Authors: Sadegh Mohamadi Azni, Ali Akbar Mansourian, Zeynab Nokandeh
• Format: Article
• Language: fas
• Published: Semnan Univeristy of Medical Sciences 2008-08-01
• Series: Majallah-i ̒Ilmī-i Dānishgāh-i ̒Ulūm-i Pizishkī-i Simnān
• Subjects: Tuberculosis; Epidemiology; Damghan; Iran
• Online Access: http://www.koomeshjournal.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-4-242&slc_lang=en&sid=1&ftxt=1

Introduction: Nowadays, tuberculosis (TB) is still one of the most important causes of disabilityand fatality in human population in spite of continuous advances in different medical sciences.Concerning to unknown epidemiologic status of TB in Iran, especially in Damghan district, and alsothe presence of a considerable number of afghan refugees in this district, the current study wasconducted to evaluate the epidemiological characteristics of TB disease in according to the datacollected from Damghan TB Centre during 2003-2007.Material and Method: This survey was performed as a cross-sectional retrospective study.Different information from the medical file of patients who referred to Damghan TB Centre (includingdemographic and characteristic of disease) were collected and recorded in separated forms for furtheranalysis.Results: A total of 89 patients were under treatment in the centre during 2003-2007. 26.96% of thepatients were under 30 years old and 30.33 % were more than 70 years old. Forty-four patients(49.43%) were women and 45 patients (50.57%) were men. 77.5% of the patients were Iranian and22.5 % of them were afghan refugees. 59.5% of the patients were lived in urban area and the rest inrural area .88.76% of the patients had pulmonary tuberculosis and 11.24% had non-pulmonarytuberculosis. All of the patients with non-pulmonary tuberculosis were recognized by pathologicalmethods and pulmonary tuberculosis was diagnosed in 78.48 % of the patients using sputum smeardirect examination or culture. Duration between manifestation of TB symptoms and diagnosis wasabout 5 months.Conclusion: The findings of our study showed that the most patients with TB had more than 70years old and 50% the afghan patients with pulmonary tuberculosis were positive for smear. Also theaverage period of TB diagnosis in patients was 5 months. Therefore, it recommends a more attentionfor finding patients with TB among the people over 70 years old and also afghan refugees. It seems tobe necessary some seminars or workshops for general physicians and medical doctors in order makemore attention for TB diagnosis in patients, and also we suggest a general health education for public.