Evaluation of Contacts of Persons with Tuberculosis Recorded to Our Dispensary Between the Years of 2013-2017

Objectives: Contacts of persons with TB carry a high risk for progression to active TB disease. It is very important to scan contacts of persons with TB in the shortest time possible, apply latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) treatment to required people and complete their treatment. We aimed in our study to evaluate the scanning of contacts of persons with TB recorded at our dispensary.
 

Methods: Contacts of persons with TB who are recorded at our dispensary between the years of 2013 – 2017 were evaluated in our study. Age groups, first application periods to dispensary and scanning results of the contacts of persons with TB were evaluated retrospectively.
 

Results: In our study we had 643 TB patients and 2254 contacts of persons with TB related to them. 87.35% (1969 persons) of total TB contacts were examined at least for once. The number of TB contacts per TB patient is 3.06. Tuberculosis were diagnosed during the scanning in 11 TB contacts. LTBI treatment were applied to 18.38% (362 persons) of TB contacts. Age group categorization of the TB contacts who received LTBI treatment was 0 -<5 age 13.25% (48 persons); 5 ≥ -≤ 35 age 81.49% (295 persons); > 35 age 4.69% (17 persons). 59.94% (217 persons) of who began LTBI treatment were completed treatment. The number of persons received LTBI treatment per patient with smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis is 1.18. There were 209 smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis patient and 878 TB contacts related to them. 91.57 % (804 persons) of smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis patient contacts. Tuberculosis was diagnosed in 6 persons and LTBI treatment was applied to 247 persons. 83.80 % (207 persons) of the patients applied LTBI treatment was in the age group of 5 ≥ -≤ 35 ages. 57.48 % (142 persons) of smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis patient contacts were completed treatment. First application of the TB contacts to dispensary was recorded in day basis. It is detected that scanning of 1969 TB contacts were made within 10.5 days. 75.41% (1485 persons) of TB contacts had their first examination within 7 days.
 

Conclusion: In conclusion, TB contacts scanning number per patient were found lower than the target.