Tuberculosis Burden -In Non-HIV Patients at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Hyderabad Telangana State

Abstract

Introduction: The revised national tuberculosis control program of India has been able to reduce the disease burden significantly. Despite; TB continues to affect 40% of our population. To achieve the desired goal of NSP {national strategic plan} 2012-2017 we need to have a focused approach on the disease prevalence and the most vulnerable. Aim: To estimate the burden of tuberculosis both pulmonary and extra pulmonary in non HIV patients at a tertiary care hospital in Hyderabad Telangana state South India. Materials and Methods: Over a period of two years from Jan.2013- Jan.2015 a total of two hundred and twenty six specimens, seventy eight from pulmonary and one hundred forty eight from extra pulmonary tuberculosis suspects were processed by various methods to achieve diagnosis. Results: Microbiologically the disease was observed in 25% of the studied subjects. Pulmonary tuberculosis accounted for 10% and extra pulmonary in 15%. Overall smear by ZN stain was positive in 17% and culture in 20%. Cytology could detect disease in 67% of the suspects. Biochemical findings were insignificant. Drug resistance was noted in 4.4% of the cases. Drug resistance and MDR tuberculosis was more common in pulmonary form than in extra pulmonary. Females dominated both in the suspect’s and culture confirmed cases as 53% & 76% respectively. The most affected age group for extra pulmonary disease remained as 6-35 years for both the sexes. In case of pulmonary tuberculosis it was noted as 36-50 years for men. Conclusion: TB affects one third of the suspects. In the present study EPTB has exceeded PTB in the proportion of the laboratory confirmed suspects of tuberculosis. Both the forms of disease are more common in females and young age which needs to be prioritized in the control program to achieve the desired target of NSP.