The impact of economic sanctions on pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis in Basrah

Abstract EN

Tuberculosis is a major health problem world wide, since t?th century when tuberculosis cause one fourth to one third of death ofpeople, Tuberculosis and poverty go hand by hand.

The aim of this study is to clarify the effect of economic sanctions on tuberculosis in Basrah during the period of 1990-1995, when sanctions had their greatest effect on people.

Record based study was carried out in chest disease center in Basrah.

Data were collected from the period of January 1987 to December 1995.

Data regardifigage, sex of patients, total number of TB, and type of tuberculosis were compiled from the files of patients who attended the center.

The annual incidence rate was calculated.

This study demonstrates that significant rise in annual incidence rate of TB during years of sanctions (average of 49.6 / 100000) during sanction VS average 30.5 / 100000 before sanctions has occurred).

This increment occurs in both forms ofTB, pulmonary as well as extrapulmonary form.

Various forms of extrapulmonary 73 show variable courses.

Males are more frequently involved than females with male to female ratio of 1.37.most cases were in the age range of 15-44 years.