Screening for Pulmonary Tuberculosis in an Urban Slum Population of Thrissur District, Kerala, India

Remya R; Navya C J

Volume : VIII, Issue : V, May - 2019

Screening for Pulmonary Tuberculosis in an Urban Slum Population of Thrissur District, Kerala, India

Remya R, Navya C J

Abstract :

Introduction: Tuberculosis continues to be a public health problem in India with an estimated incidence figure of 2.2 million cases of TB for India out of a global incidence of 9 million. The WHO recommends active case finding strategies to be conducted among targeted high-risk groups including urban slum dwellers. Methodology: A cross-sectional house-to-house survey was conducted in March 2016 using a pretested validated questionnaire. Individuals having productive cough for two or more weeks were identified as suspects for PTB and were given sputum cups and were instructed regarding sputum collection. Two sputum samples were collected including one early morning sample. The samples were tested for presence of acid fast bacilli using ZN stain at the district TB centre. Results: The total number of study subjects was 392. The mean age was 42.23 � 21.57yrs.Twelve subjects were identified as TB suspects and two sputum samples were collected and tested at District TB Centre, but all were found to be negative for the presence of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis bacteriae. Conclusion: The screening for TB cases which we undertook did not find to be cost effective. From our experience at the field, we conclude mass screening is expensive and has uncertain benefits. Therefore, it should be avoided.