Profiles of Tuberculosis Patients: A Single-Center Experience in a Semi-Urban Tuberculosis Center in Southeast Nigeria.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVES

Tuberculosis infection (TB) is a global healthcare problem. In Sub-Saharan African countries TB-HIV co-infection is an evil duo. This study sought to evaluate TB characterization and mortality rate in TB subjects in a semi-urban tuberculosis center in Southeast Nigeria.

METHODOLOGY: This was a retrospective study of 241 TB patients between September 2014 and August 2017. Data on clinical profiles, demography, anthropometry, occupation, HIV status, treatment, treatment outcome, and loss to treatment were retrieved and compared within subgroups.

RESULTS

The male subjects were 97(40.2%) and female 144(59.8%). TB rate was low at extremes of age. Traders (38.2%) and artisans (17.4%) have high TB rate, with male preponderance, p=0.039. TB cure rate was 11.2%, death rate 17.4%, treatment completion 29.5%, loss to follow-up12.5%. TB-HIV co-morbidity rate was 42.3% and was high among traders, artisans, dependents, drivers, as well as civil servants, p=0.039 and specifically higher in females, p = 0.039. Low TB cure rate (25.0%) and high TB mortality rate (66.7%) occurred with TB-HIV co-infection, p=0.003.

CONCLUSION

TB infection declined at extremes of age, and was high among traders and artisans. TB-HIV co-infection rate was high overall, associated with low TB cure rate and high mortality rate in this study.