Prevalence and Determinants of Tuberculosis Infection in Children in Bale Region
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Date
1989-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The determination ot t~e prevel ence of tuberculosis infection within age groups and the relation of lnfection to factors unde r study, i,e., previous BeG vaccination, raw milk consumption, and intimate exposure to cattle were evaluated in a cross-sectlcnal community-based tuberculin skin test survey, and case-control analysis of the relation of infection to the factors under study 1n Mendeyo Awraja, Bale region (south-east Ethiopia), in children 5 months to 15 years ot age. A ~urvey consisting of an interviev/, examination of BeG scar on the right shoulder, and tuberculin skin testing and reading was conductea on 1892 children, 1dentified by systematic household survey from ten randomly selected peasant Vl I lages in Mendeyo Awraja. Out of the total 1892 children surveyed 1002 (53%) were males and 890 (47%) were females. 1028 (54.3%) had a BeG scar and 864 (45.7%) had no BeG scar; the prevalence of tuberculosis infection in these groups was 11 . 8% and 15.3% respect i ve 1 y . The overall .prevalence of tubercu los is infection was 13.4%. The mean age of the surveyed children was 6 years. Prevalence of infection was lew in infants and children under 5 years of age and increases with age, being high in 12 to 15 years old. There was a significant association between infection and previous non-Beg vaccination, and intimate exposure to cattle, as determined by chi square statistics (p < . 05 ) . There was no significant association between infection and ra\'~ CO';J'S milk consumption (p > .05).The Avera!(e alm":1-l risk of altercation as calculated from the results of' the study in non-vaccinated children "'as 2.73%. Incidence of smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis cases Has calculated to be about 337 cases per 290) 000 population (the settIed awraja) s population). The study has enabled us to determine the annual risk of infection and incidence of smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis cases in the community (awraja).
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Keywords
Tuberculosis, Infection , Children