Abstract

MASCARENHAS, Márcio Dênis Medeiros; ARAUJO, Liliam Mendes  and  GOMES, Keila Rejane Oliveira. Epidemiological profile of tuberculosis among notified cases in the Municipality of Piripiri, Piauí State, Brazil. Epidemiol. Serv. Saúde [online]. 2005, vol.14, n.1, pp.7-14. ISSN 1679-4974.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5123/S1679-49742005000100002.

Although known since ancient times, tuberculosis continues to preoccupy medical authorities nowadays. This work describes the clinical and epidemiological profile of tuberculosis cases notified to the health department in the Municipality of Piripiri, Piauí State, from June 1997 to October 2000. Data from individual Tuberculosis Investigation Files and Tuberculosis Case Registry were compiled. Data were processed using Epi Info 6.04b software. Disease occurred predominantly in males (64.4%), young adults (40.2%), and illiterate persons (68.4%). The incidence was 82.4 and 80.2 per 100,000 inhabitants in 1998 and 1999, respectively. In regard to the clinical presentation, 93.1% of patients had pulmonary tuberculosis. Bacilluscopy was done in 93.1% of the patients, of which 75.5% had a positive result. Chest x-rays were performed in 34.5% of patients. Among cases treated by the Municipal Tuberculosis Control Program (PCT), 91.7% were cured, 6.9% died and 0.7% (1 case) abandoned treatment. This investigation permits an improved understanding of the characteristics of tuberculosis in the study population and enables an indirect evaluation of health service treatment of this disease in Piripiri, Piauí.

Keywords : tuberculosis; epidemiology; evaluation studies.

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