The Investigation of Close-Contacts in Soldier Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to estimate the average numbers of close contacts of soldiers patients with tuberculosis (TB), who admitted to Chest Diseases Hospital, in their troops, and to reveal active patients and the cases who needs for chemoprophylaxis, and to evaluate the treatment results. METHODS: This study was done in Pulmonary Division of GATA Haydarpasa Training Hospital between 1st of January 2005 and 31st of March 2006. Persons who worked with soldier patients bacteriologially diagnosed with TB in our hospital, in closed areas, and/or sleeping in the same dormitory were accepted as close contacts. Contacts were performed tuberculin skin test (TST), and taken their chest roentgenogram at 0, 3rd, and 6th months. More than 10 mm indurations in cases with no BCG and 15 mm indurations in cases with BCG were accepted as positive TCT. Close contacts that had positive TST or more than 6 mm increase in their controls were given the chemoprophylaxis with isoniasid for six months. Ninety-two smear positive patients with PTB were enrolled into the study. RESULTS: The mean age was 21.6±2.3 years. Of the 4501 close contacts, 89% were screened during the first period and the control rates at 3rd and 6th months decreased to 58% and 42%, respectively. 11 new tuberculosis cases were found by screening of close contacts (with an incidence of 244/100.000). TST positivity or conversion was shown in 420 contacts, and were given chemoprophylaxis. Of 165 (39.2%) were completed six month therapy. COCLUSION: In our study, although the number of close contacts per patients was significantly higher, the incidence of patients in close contacts was low. [TAF Prev Med Bull. 2008; 7(3): 199-204]