Pulmonary Tuberculosis among Adults in Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia, NAIF BIN SAUD
Abstract
Objective: To identify the characteristics of pulmonary TB (PTB) cases in Jeddah City.
Patients and Methods: An active survey for pulmonary TB (PTB) cases was performed in Jeddah City during 2011. Data were collected from laboratories and records within all health institutions that would manage TB. Study variables included demographic dataand laboratory results of (PTB) cases.
Results: The total number of diagnosed adult (PTB) cases in Jeddah City during 2011 was 820. Almost two thirds of patients were males (65.4%). More than half of patients (51.9%) were in the age group (<35 years). There was slight preponderance of non-Saudis (59.7%). Wage workers consti-tuted almost one-fifth of patients (18.3%), while 40.2% of patients were unemployed. Most PTB cases were managed in governmental institutions (86%). There was no seasonality for diagnosis of (PTB). Most PTB cases were “new” (92.3%) while 7.7% were “relapse” cases. Most of diagnosed (PTB) cases were AFB smear positive (82%), while 5.6% of them were HIV positive. Yemeni patients constituted the highest percentage of patients (20.8%). Most non-Saudi patients were from Africa, or Asia. HIV co-infection among (PTB) cases was not significantly different according to patients’ gender or nationality.
Conclusions: This study revealed that the characteristics of (PTB) cases in Jeddah City include being mainly “new”. Patients are mostly males within the younger age group, with slight preponderance of non-Saudis. Unemployed and wage workers constitute most of (PTB) patients. Patients are mainly managed in governmental health institutions. There is no seasonality for diagnosis of (PTB). Most of diagnosed PTB cases are AFB smear positive, while patients with HIV co-infection are mostly non-Saudis and males.Yemeni patients constitute the highest percentage of non-Saudi PTB patients. Preventive and control measures toward PTB are urgently needed to be applied in Jeddah City.