The epidemiology of tuberculosis in Phuentsholing General Hospital: a six-year retrospective study

A total of 735 patients were analyzed, 12.4% (91) of whom were children (≤14？years). The highest cases was reported in 2009 (148), lowest in 2004 (93). Males and females were equally infected with TB. The median age was 25？years, (range 11？months - 98？years; IQR？=？20-35). Extra-pulmonary Tuberculosis (EPT) 62.6% (57) was the commonest form of TB in children. Pleural effusion was more common in males 62.8% (27) (p？=？0.013). Smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis (SPPT) 54.3% (207) (p？=？0.02) and treatment defaulted 84.2% (16) (p？=？0.004) was higher in males. However, transfer-in cases 57.0% (90) (p？=？0.036) and treatment outcome-failure 92.3% (12) (p？=？0.002) were more in females than males. The cure rate for SPPT was 69.0% (293) and unknown treatment outcome for all forms of TB was 11.2% (82).TB infection has increased over the study period; SPPT increased more than other two forms of TB. The majority of the TB patients were in the age group of 15–34？years. Males and females were equally infected with TB and children made up 12.4% of TB patients. The cure rate amongst SPPT was 69%, which is much lower than the national target of 85% set by National Tuberculosis Control Programme (NTCP). Further studies need to be undertaken to identify the risk factor for TB in the economically productive age group. There is a need for improvement in the services, recording and reporting so as to meet the target of cure rate of 85% in SPPT patients.Tuberculosis (TB) is a public health problem caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are almost 13.7 million people living with TB and that the disease kills more young people and adults than any other infectious disease in the world [1]. A total of about 1.77 million people died of TB in 2007 including 456,000 patients infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). TB is the seventh most common disease in the world and is the leading cause of death from curable diseases [2]. WHO de