A baseline survey of the prevalence of tuberculosis in a community in south India at the commencement of a DOTS programme

Gopi, P G and Subramani, R and Radhakrishna, S and Kolappan, C and Sadacharam, K and Devi, T S and Frieden, T R and Narayanan, P R (2003) A baseline survey of the prevalence of tuberculosis in a community in south India at the commencement of a DOTS programme. International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 7 (12). pp. 1154-1162. ISSN Print: 1027-3719; Online: 1815-7920

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the baseline prevalence of culture-positive and smear-positive tuberculosis and the annual risk of tuberculous infection (ARTI) in a community in south India where DOTS is being implemented. METHODS: Using cluster sampling, 50 rural panchayats (villages) and three urban units in Tiruvallur district were selected randomly. All adults aged �15 years underwent symptom and radiographic examination, and those with abnormal shadows and/or chest symptoms had sputum smear and culture examination. In another cluster sample of 73 villages and three urban units, all children aged �10 years were tuberculin tested. RESULTS: The prevalence of culture-positive and smearpositive tuberculosis was respectively 605 and 323/ 100 000. Both increased appreciably with age, and were substantially higher in males than in females at all ages; the overall male:female ratio was 5.5 for culture-positive and 6.5 for smear-positive tuberculosis. The ARTI in children aged under 10 years was 1.6%, and was unaffected by sex. Over three decades there was an overall decline of 1.8% per annum in the prevalence of culture-positive and 2.1% for smear-positive tuberculosis. CONCLUSION: Tuberculosis is a major problem in this rural community in south India, with a prevalence of 605/100 000 for culture-positive tuberculosis and 323/ 100 000 for smear-positive tuberculosis.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	tuberculosis; south India; baseline survey; disease; infection
Subjects:	Tuberculosis > Epidemiological Research Tuberculosis > Operational Research
Divisions:	Epidemiology
Depositing User:	Dr. Rathinasabapati R
Date Deposited:	12 Nov 2013 09:25
Last Modified:	09 Mar 2016 10:53
URI:	http://eprints.nirt.res.in/id/eprint/599

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