Epidemiological study of pulmonary tuberculosis in Aden 2005-2008

Abstract EN

Objective : The aim of this study was to study the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in the years 2005 to 2008 in Aden governorate and its administrative districts.

Patients and methods : A retrospective study was conducted in Aden governorate for all patients with new sputum smear positive pulmonary TB in the years 2005 to 2008.

The age of patients ranged between 1 year and 75 years with a mean age 34.5 (± 14.6( years.

Results : Over the 4 years 1090 new pulmonary smear + TB patients were registered in the National Tuberculosis Control Program (NTCP).

Of those, (66%) were males and (34%) were females with a ratio male to female 2 : 1.

The greatest proportions (29.7%) were aged 15–24 years and (56.6%) were aged 15–44 years.

The lowest proportion (1%) was aged ≤ 14 years; the ratio male to female in this age group is 0.6 : 1.

The incidence rate per 100000 of pulmonary TB in Aden Governorate in each year ranged between 53 in 2007 and 38 in year 2008 and the annual average incidence rate in the 4 years was 44.5.

In the districts, the incidence rate varied in years and districts between 86 and 13 / 100000 and the average incidence rate in the 4 years period ranged between 65 and 3 / 100000 populations.

Conclusion : Pulmonary TB is still a major health problem in Aden despite the effort and activity of the NTCP and its directly observed treatment, short-course (DOTS) tuberculosis units in the eight districts.

These findings emphasize the need to perform more studies in different contexts.