Medica Jadertina, Vol. 48 No. 4, 2018.
Professional paper
Epidemiological patterns of tuberculosis in Split-Dalmatia County, 2003.-2016.
Ivan Mihanović
orcid.org/0000-0003-1179-104X
; Klinički bolnički centar "Sestre milosrdnice"
Anamarija Jurčev Savičević
; Nastavni zavod za javno zdravstvo Splitsko-dalmatinske županije
Nora Josipa Savičević
; Sveučilište u Splitu, Medicinski fakultet
Ante Cvitković
orcid.org/0000-0003-3312-7043
; Zavod za javno zdravstvo Brodsko-posavske županije
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to describe the epidemiological patterns of tuberculosis (TB) in SplitDalmatia County in the period 2003-2016. We did a retrospective analysis of all tuberculosis patients registered by the county's Public Health Institute in the period 2003-2016, which included 926 tuberculosis patients. The results showed a continuous decrease in the incidence rates with the last reported rate of 8,6/100,000. This shows that the county became a low-incidence region. Even though the incidence rates were the highest in the hinterland and the lowest on the islands at the beginning of this study, during the last 6 years (2011-2016) the incidence rates in the hinterland and on the islands have become almost equal (mostly due to significant decrease of the incidence rates in the hinterland) while the incidence rates at the coastline have become the lowest. The incidence rates increase with age. Men are almost twice as likely to suffer from tuberculosis than women. Pulmonary tuberculosis is by far the most common presentation of the disease (85.10% of all examined patients). Bacteriologically confirmed tuberculosis has been found in 71.92% of the cases. In total, 40.82% of the patients were sputum smear-positive, which means they were highly contagious. Anti-tuberculosis drug resistance was found in 4.35% of all cases and it was mostly monoresistance, most often to isoniazide. Only two cases of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis have been notified. The results confirmed that the epidemiological situation regarding tuberculosis in Split-Dalmatia County is favorable. Nevertheless, we should continue to be vigilant and work intensely on the implementation and strengthening of anti-tuberculosis measures in order to eliminate tuberculosis as a public health problem.
Keywords
tuberculosis; epidemiology; Split-Dalmatia County
Hrčak ID:
208257
URI
Publication date:
6.11.2018.
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