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Objectives: Treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTIT) in control of tuberculosis carries the utmost importance. LTIT is applied also in our country to the patients who are under the big risk for increase of tuberculosis disease. We aimed in our study to search for the reasons of receiving LTIT and treatment results.
Methods: The retrospective evaluations were made on the age, gender, reason for receiving LTIT and treatment results of the patients who received LTIT by our dispensary between the years of 2006 – 2017. The patients who were transferred to other dispensaries, of whom the treatment was ended by the doctor and recorded to treatment journal by receiving Rifampicin due to another disease were excluded from this study.
Results: 1996 of 2085 number of patients which began to receive LTIT during the years of 2006 – 2017 are subject to this study. 87 patients who were transferred to other dispensaries and of whom the treatment was ended by the doctor and 2 patients who were recorded to treatment journal by receiving Rifampicin due to another disease were excluded from this study. 51.25% of the total LTIT received patients were female while 48.74% were male. 56.01% (1118 persons) of the patients received LTIT due to contact with patient/animal with tuberculosis, 36.72% (733 persons) due to immunosuppressive treatment, 7.01% (140 persons) due to tuberculin skin test (TST) positive, 0.1% (2 persons) due to TST conversion, 0.15% (3 persons) due to other reasons. According to evaluation per years, the total number of patients received LTIT (2006 115 persons 2017 258 persons) and number of total patients receiving LTIT due to immunosuppressive treatment (2006 2.6% 2017 57.36%) are increased. 68.79% of 1118 patients’ receiving LTIT due to TB contact completed their treatment while 30.76% of the patients’ quitted the treatment. 82.67% of 733 patients’ receiving LTIT due to immunosuppressive treatment completed their treatment while 15.68% of the patients’ quitted the treatment. 96.15% of 26 patients’ receiving treatment due to HIV infection completed their treatment
Conclusion: The total number of people receiving LTIT in our dispensary and number of people receiving treatment due to immunosuppressive treatment has been increased in years. The treatment completion rates of the patients who received LTIT due to TB contact are lower. Further studies are required to increase the ratio of treatment completion rates.