جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه « بیماری سل » در نشریات گروه « پزشکی »

In December 2019, a series of pneumonia cases of unknown origin were reported in Wuhan, China, named by the World Health Organization as COVID-19. The risk factors for developing the disease of COVID-19 are still not well known, but evidence shows that some factors, including respiratory diseases such as tuberculosis, are important risk factors in the disease of COVID-19. It should be noted that tuberculosis, like SARS-COV-2, is mainly transmitted through breathing and affects the lungs. Also, some studies show that infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes more rapid and severe pneumonia symptoms in COVID-19 and is the main cause of death due to severe disease. Considering that the disease of COVID-19 is a newly emerging pandemic and the risk factors related to its incidence and severity are still being investigated and considering that tuberculosis is a curable infectious disease that can affect other respiratory diseases. This study was conducted to investigate the probable and definite frequency of COVID-19 (COVID-19) in the first and second peaks of the coronavirus pandemic among patients with a history of tuberculosis.

This study was descriptive-cross-sectional and the study population included patients with a history of tuberculosis whose diagnosis date was between 2015 and 2020. The number of these samples was equal to 1532. The sampling method was census. The time of investigation in terms of contracting COVID-19 was after the first peak and during and after the second peak of Corona (from the second half of May 2019 to November 2019). The data collection tool included a checklist containing demographic variables and clinical symptoms related to COVID-19. The method of collecting information was in the form of telephone interviews and document review. Data collection was done by trained interviewers. For this purpose, the questioners were first given the necessary training on how to complete the checklist. Data entry was done in Excel software and transferred to SPSS V.16 software for analysis. The description of the variables is presented in terms of number, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and median. A chi-square test was conducted to compare the grouped variables.

In this study, the prevalence of probable and definite cases of COVID-19 among patients with a history of tuberculosis was reported as 5.5% (85 people), and suspected, probable and definite cases were reported as 15.6% (239 people). Also, there was no correlation between age groups, gender, place of residence, type of tuberculosis, marriage, diabetes, kidney disease dialysis, immunodeficiency,, and liver disease with the prevalence of COVID-19 among patients with a history of tuberculosis. It should be noted that in this group of patients, heart disease, lung disease, cancer, chemotherapy, high blood pressure, and brain and nerve diseases were related to the spread of COVID-19. Also, the highest frequency of suspected, probable, and definite COVID among patients with a history of tuberculosis was diagnosed respectively in 2019 with 38.5% (25 out of 65 cases with a history of tuberculosis), in 2014 with 26.7% (63 out of 236 cases with a history of tuberculosis) and 20.8% (58 people out of 279 cases with a history of tuberculosis) in 2018.

Due to the significant difference in the prevalence of Covid 19 in patients who have not received the flu vaccine, it is necessary to inject the flu vaccine in these patients. Advice to quit smoking in these patients should be a priority. Because no independent study on Covid disease was observed in patients with tuberculosis, further studies in this field are necessary.

Pyrazinamide is one of the effective drugs for treating tuberculosis. Inclusion of this drug in the treatment regimen shortens the duration of tuberculosis treatment. The mutation in pncA gene causes loss of pyrazinamidase activity, the most important resistance mechanism in Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the phenotypic and genotypic resistance to pyrazinamide antibiotic in multidrug-resistant (MDR) Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates in Khuzestan province between 2017 and 2022.

This study was conducted on 40 isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Ahvaz TB Regional Laboratory. Drug sensitivity of the isolates was determined by the relative method in the antibiotic pyrazinamide in the isolates. Then, the frequency of pncA gene mutations related to pyrazinamide resistance in MDR isolates was determined using sequencing.

According to the results of the drug sensitivity to rifampin and isoniazid antibiotics, there were 25 isolates, of which 16 strains were resistant to two drugs, namely isoniazid and rifampin (MDR-TB), and 9 were single-drug resistant isolates (8 isolates resistant to rifampin and 1 isolate resistant to Isoniazid). Of the 17 samples that had the pncA gene and were resistant to pyrazinamide, 13 had mutations in the pncA gene while 4 did not have any mutations. The most common mutation was a non-synonymous mutation in which the amino acid Val had changed to Phe.

According to the results of this study, there is a high frequency of resistance to pyrazinamide in MDR strains. Also, there is a high percentage of single-resistance mutations in the pncA gene, while there is lower prevalence of mutations in the panD and rpsA genes, which provide quick and accurate information about the sensitivity to pyrazinamide for MDR-TB and mono-resistant isolates. Therefore, the best method for detecting resistance to pyrazinamide is sequencing and whole pncA DNA sequence to confirm pyrazinamide resistance instead of the usual methods covering mutated hotspots.

Tuberculosis is a life-threatening infectious disease mainly caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Determining the incidence of tuberculosis and treating sick people is one of the important strategies to prevent the occurrence of the disease and accelerate the process of achieving the goals of sustainable development to reduce cases of tuberculosis.

This is a descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study. The information is extracted from the recorded data of the tuberculosis care system and a researcher-made checklist with questions from patients as well as health system staff.

The total number of tuberculosis cases was 89, of which 57.3% were female. The mean age was 61.71 years. The cases of pulmonary tuberculosis were 78.7% and the others were extrapulmonary. The overall incidence of tuberculosis and smear-positive cases in Kerman in 2018 were equal to 11.4 and 6.1 per 100,000 population, respectively. Also, the incidence of negative and extrapulmonary tuberculosis cases in 2018 was equal to 1.2 and 2.2 people per 100,000 population, respectively.

These findings showed that the incidence of tuberculosis in Kerman is slightly higher than the national average, however, this small amount requires further investigation and survey of the causes and finally measurements to reduce the incidence of this disease.

Despite advances in medical sciences in recent years, tuberculosis remains a worldwide health problem. The World Health Organization (WHO) global tuberculosis report 2016 states that tuberculosis killed 1.4 million individuals (1.2 to 1.6 million) HIV-negative and 0.39 million (0.32 million to 0.46 million) HIV-positive people in 2015. The 30 high-tuberculosis burden countries represented 87% of all assessed incident cases around the world. Of these, China, India and Indonesia alone represented 45% of worldwide cases in 2015. Currently, the annual rate of decline in tuberculosis incidence is around 1–2% while the rate would need to be 4–5% by 2020 and over 10% by 2025 to achieve the goal of ending the epidemic by 2030. Although there are many laboratory methods to accelerate the diagnosis, a delay in the definitive diagnosis of the disease is still a major clinical problem. Due to the slow growth of the causative agent, (Mycobacterium tuberculosis), isolation, identification, and other clinically important mycobacteria can take several weeks or longer. During the past few years, many methods have been provided for direct detection, species identification, and susceptibility testing of tuberculosis agents. Understanding the effectiveness and practical limitations of these methods is important to improve diagnosis. This article describes recent advances in the diagnosis of tuberculosis based on molecular and non-molecular methods. In the current review, we aim to perform a literature review in different library databases and electronic searches (Science Direct, PubMed, and Google Scholar) which were randomly obtained. For each stage of diagnosis, there are new methodologies. New tests are accessible by level of laboratory and period of application. Overall, the innovation for the diagnosis of tuberculosis and antibiotic resistance in pulmonary specimens is all well advanced, with high particularity and progressively high sensitivity. Ongoing advances in molecular science and molecular epidemiology, and a superior comprehension of the molecular basis of drug resistance in tuberculosis, have given new devices to fast diagnosis; however, the high cost of most of these strategies, and their prerequisite for the high cost of most and skilled personnel have blocked their execution on a routine basis, particularly in low-income countries. Improving the process of identifying the spectrum of tuberculosis, including active, drug-resistant strains as well as latent tuberculosis, can have a profound impact on global health. For example, an experiment with and 85% sensitivity and a 97% specificity in identifying people with tuberculosis could prevent 392,000 deaths per year. New methods allow rapid detection of active tuberculosis in patients with negative sputum smear for fast acid bacilli and enable rapid and accurate identification of tuberculosis-resistant strains in respiratory samples. Rapid isolation and diagnosis of M. tuberculosis have improved the early detection of tuberculosis. Molecular methods play an important role in the diagnosis of M. tuberculosis and have many advantages such as reducing the detection time, rapid detection of mutations related to drug resistance and clinical use. Despite the obvious advantages of molecular detection methods, they have some disadvantages and some molecular methods have not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Molecular methods are mainly useful in cases of positive smear and are recommended in patients with negative smear when there is a high clinical suspicion of tuberculosis. On the other hand, despite the advantages of molecular methods, the genetic basis of drug resistance of any tuberculosis drug is not fully understood, so the results of molecular tests must always be confirmed by phenotypic methods. Tuberculosis control strategies are personally identified with the availability of powerful tests for the determination of active tuberculosis and the identification of inactive tuberculosis infection. Improved tuberculosis diagnostics, along with different interventions, are vital to arriving at the objective of entering the pre-elimination phase by 2035 in countries with a low incidence of the disease. At present that many of these techniques are only economically viable in the developed nations, it is hoped that recent advances will lead to the development of novel diagnostic strategies applicable to use in developing nations, where the burden of tuberculosis is maximum and effective intervention is most urgently required. Thus, more consideration and examination are needed to create effective and cheap methods in various settings to overcome this overall issue and more evidence is needed to survey the operational effect of noncommercial, low-cost, rapid diagnostic techniques in field conditions.

Tuberculosis is still one of the public health challenges in both developed and developing countries. This study designed to investigate the relationship between the human development index, one of the most important indicators of economic, social and health conditions of a country and tuberculosis’ incidence. Subjects and

In this ecological study, data on the incidence of tuberculosis and the Human Development Index in 2018, were extracted from the World Health Organization's website and the United Nations Development Program's website. Spearman correlation coefficient and 95% bootstrap confidence interval were used to determine the relationship between tuberculosis incidence and human development index (and its components).

The highest incidence of tuberculosis in 2018 was observed in countries with the lowest human development index. Human development index (and its components including: life expectancy at birth, education, per capita gross national income) had an inverse and significant relationship with the incidence of tuberculosis.

The incidence of tuberculosis is correlated with the Human Development Index and its components. Therefore, in addition to the commitment of those involved in the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis to the guidelines of the World Health Organization, it is necessary that health policymakers, especially in low-income countries, focus on the environmental and social components associated with burden of tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an important infectious disease with high mortality in the world. None of the countries stay safe from TB. Nowadays, different factors such as Co-morbidities, increase TB incidence. World Health Organization (WHO) last report about Iran's TB status shows rising trend of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and HIV/TB. More than 95% illness and death of TB cases are in developing countries. The most infections are in South East Asia and West Pacific that 56% of them are new cases in the world. The incidence is actually new cases of each year. Incidence prediction is affecting TB prevention, management and control. The purpose of this study is designing and creating a system to predict TB incidence by time series artificial neural networks (ANN) in Iran.

This study is a retrospective analytic. 10651 TB cases that registered on Iran’s Stop TB System from March 2014 to March 2016, Were analyzed. Most of reliable data used directly, some of them merged together and create new indicators and two columns used to compute a new indicator. At first, effective variables were evaluating with correlation coefficient tests then extracting by linear regression on SPSS statistical software, version 20 (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA). We used different algorithms and number of neurons in hidden layer and delay in time series neural network. R, MSE (mean squared error) and regression graph were used for compare and select the best network. Incidence prediction neural network were designed on MATLAB® software, version R2014a (Mathworks Inc., Natick, MA, USA).

At first, 23 independent variables entered to study. After correlation coefficient and regression, 12 variables with P≤0.01 in Spearman and P≤0.05 in Pearson were selected. We had the best value of R, MSE (mean squared error) and also regression graph in train, validation and tested by Bayesian regularization algorithm with 10 neuron in hidden layer and two delay.

This study showed that artificial neural network had acceptable function to extract knowledge from TB raw data; ANN is beneficial to TB incidence prediction.

Tuberculosis is one of the most important infectious diseases causing numerous social and economic problems. Understanding the epidemiology of tuberculosis and its related indices is one of the most important strategies for the prevention of this disease and accelerating the process of achieving sustainable development goals. In this cross-sectional and descriptive-analytic study, data were collected by a researcher-made check list and using the recorded data in the Tuberculosis surveillance system during 2011 to 2015. Data analysis was done through SPSS20 and using descriptive statistics, frequency distribution and Chi-square test. A total number of 674 cases were studied of which, 87% were pulmonary and the rest were extra-pulmonary. The disease showed a decreasing trend during the years of study. The incidence rate of drug-resistant tuberculosis was about 10 per ten thousand. Approximately, 4% of patients had recurrent disease during the years of study. In pulmonary tuberculosis, the risk of recurrence and resistance was significantly higher compared to extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (P= 0.001). From all patients, about 4% had previous treatment for TB and 2.5% were HIV-positive. Indicators of tuberculosis in the city of Kerman in comparison with the indicators set by the World Health Organization were acceptable; however, due to the geographical location of Kerman that its closeness to eastern borders a stronger surveillance system is required.

Background and

Despite appropriate prevention and therapeutic activities in recent years, Pulmonary Tuberculosis (TB) is still one of the top ten causes of mortality in the world. The purpose of this study was to analyze the distribution of pulmonary tuberculosis in cities of Golestan province, Iran and identifying the major determinants of this disease.

from 8374 TB cases was recorded in TB Registry Program in Golestan province between 2007 and 2016 we analyzed the information of 5648 new cases. Data was analyzed in SPSS 24 and Stata 13. Mean ± SD and frequency table were applied for quantitative and qualitative variables, respectively.

The standardized incidence rate of TB in 100,000 population in Golestan province was 41.29 and in males and females it was 41.40 and 41.22, respectively, indicating no significant differences between them (p< 0.34). TB hazard ratio was found to be 62% higher in rural areas (p< 0.001). The standardized incidence rates in urban and rural areas were 31.63 and 51.36 in 100,000 population, respectively. Ramyan and Gomishan had the highest and lowest incidence rats of TB, respectively (77.68 and 14.88 in 100,000 population, respectively).

According to current findings, screening for TB in rural areas in Golestan province is highly recommended. Eastern regions of the province are at greater risk for TB infection due to their ethnic composition (Sistan and Baluchestan immigrants)

Background and Tuberculosis is a contagious disease caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis. Approximately 30% of the world's population is infected, 5-10% of whom develop active tuberculosis. The aim of this study was to determine the tuberculin skin test conversion.
A cross-sectional study was conducted in 114 staff working in Qaemshahr Razi Hospital, 2015-2017. Demographic characteristics and the results of tuberculin skin test (TST) were recorded in a checklist. Data analysis was done in SPSS V20.
The participants included 15.8% males and 84.2% females (mean age: 29.42±5.03). Among the subjects, 33% had latent tuberculosis. TST was positive in 11.4% in first evaluation and 36.84% had positive TST in the second assessment. TST seroconversion was observed in 25.44%, in 61.4% the working experience was more than 10 years, and 61.5% worked in infectious department. There were significant associations between the positive result of TST and age, gender, and working experience (P=0.002, P=0.021, and P=0.01, respectively). We observed significant differences in the results of TST between the first and second evaluation (P Hospital staff are at high risk for developing tuberculosis due to direct contact with tuberculosis patients. Due to TST seroconversion they should be screened for TB annually. Isolation of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and practical trainings should be considered in order to prevent infection in staff. Personal protective equipment is also needed for individuals working in hospitals.

Ziehl Nelson staining, fluorescent and also culture are the standard methods for the diagnosis of tuberculosis. In this study, the performance of conventional cultivation methods was compared with Flash PCR. A total of 56 sputum samples from patients with suspected tuberculosis in Tuberculosis Center of Arak city were collected and Ziehl–Neelsen and culture in Löwenstein–Jensen medium were accomplished. Moreover, DNA from all of the 56 sputum samples was extracted by Chelex100 method. Molecular evaluation was accomplished by Flash PCR kit containing probes and primers for gene amplification IS6110. Positive and negative controls together with samples were used in a MTC410 apparatus for amplification. FD-12 apparatus was used to evaluate the results. In addition, electrophoresis on agarose was used for confirmation of the results.
Findings: From 56 sputum samples of suspected TB patients, 20 samples were positive and 36 samples were negative on microscopic evaluation and culture methods. FLASH-PCR molecular analysis showed that all of 20 positive samples were positive in molecular methods, too. On the other hand, three of sputum samples that were negative by culture and staining were positive in FLASH-PCR method. One of these 3 patients, received Isoniazid, pyrazinamide and ethambutol antibiotic by responsible medicine. All results were confirmed using conventional electrophoresis. In some negative samples, possibly because of the small number of bacteria in sample or a defect in the sampling, the Flash PCR may due good advantages. Therefore, due to the low cost, this method is recommended for routine use

Tuberculosis is a chronic bacterial disease that can be transmitted from the affected persons to others through air when the airway and lung drops of patients are released in the air and inhalled by healthy ones. This disease has a high prevalence in Zabol/ Iran due to the drought, rainfall status, high temperature, severe storms and dusty condition in this region. This descriptive-analytical research was conducted from June 2005 to June 2015 using weather data and the 10-year statistics of tuberculosis patients in Zabol city, of whom 62 patients had been treated. A researcher-made questionnaire was used to identify the factors affecting the disease. Data analysis was done through SPSS22 software and using Pearson correlation and regression analyses. Climatological data showed increasing rate of wind speed over the past ten years. There was a negative correlation between the prevalence of tuberculosis and mean of annual rainfall during the ten years (P≤0.014). The results of regression test showed that wind speed had been very effective in the prevalence of tuberculosis (P = 0.711). To control tuberculosis, regular periodic screening, continuous education and more serious plans for providing specialized care and services are recommended. Meanwhile, appropriate measures including mulching and increasing plant coverage of the region should be taken to control dust.   Key words: Tuberculosis, Drought, Dust, Weather station, Zabol city   Citation: Malakootian M, Mish MastNehi M. A study on the Effect of Draught and Dust Amount on the Prevalence of Tuberculosis in Zabol City. Journal of Health Based Research 2018; 4(1): 1-11.

Tuberculosis is a global health problem and one of the top ten causes of mortality in the world. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the educational needs of general practitioners working in health centers of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran about tuberculosis.
This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed with the participation of all general practitioners working in health centers of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran. Sampling method was census and 83 of the 97 doctors participated in the study. A needs assessment was performed using selfassessment and knowledge assessment questionnaires that were classified into five areas of general information about tuberculosis, detection, diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Data were entered into the SPSS-21 software and analyzed using one-way ANOVA.
In this study, 35 (42.2%) of the participants were from the Shargh Health Center, 31 (37.3%) from the Shomal Health Center and 17 (20.5%) of them were from the Shemiranet Health Network. Among the participants, 50 (60.2%) had participated in TB training course, and 79 (95.2%) had followed the DOTS strategy for treating patients. About 58 (69.9%) of them declared that workshop is the most effective method for learning. The mean (SD) level of general knowledge of physicians in the Shomal Health Center was 8.22 (6.4), the Shargh Health Center was 22.8 (6.5) and the Shemiranat Health. Network was 22.1 (7.5) out of 40. One-way analysis of variance did not show a significant difference between mean scores of groups, but weakness of knowledge in the field of treatment was observed according to the knowledge test and self-assessment.
The study showed that the physicians’ knowledge was weak in all areas and was more significant in the field of treatment than other areas.

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are defined as mycobacteria other than Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), which do not cause tuberculosis or leprosy. Early and precise diagnosis of NTM is particularly important for the correct epidemiological control and specific treatments. The aim of this study was to identify the mycobacterium species isolated from patients referred to hospitals in Tehran using the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method.
In this cross-sectional descriptive study, a collection of isolates (n=20) was obtained from clinical specimens submitted to the Masoud Laboratory in Tehran, Iran, during 2014-2015. The strains were isolated from sputum, urine, blood, and various sterile body fluid specimens. Chromatography was conducted at a flow rate with a curvilinear gradient of methanol and methylene chloride, beginning at 98% methanol containing 2% methylene chloride and ending at 35% methanol contained in 65% methylene chloride.
From a total of 20 clinical isolates, 8 isolates (40%) were identified as Mycobacterium abscessus, 6 isolates (30%) M. tuberculosis, 3 isolates (15%) M. intracellulare and 3 isolates (15%) M. fortuitum.
For the proper treatment, rapid differentiation between MTB and NTM should be performed in persons who are diagnosed with or are suspected of having infectious TB disease. So, the HPLC method can be suggested as a cost-effective, specific and reliable method for rapid identification of MTB and differentiation of NTM strain from positive cultures isolated from clinical specimens.

Diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis requires high utilization of resources and costs and assessing the utilization of health care resources is always important for budgeting and long-term planning in a highly dynamic health care system. This study aimed to investigate the resources and service utilization pattern of patients with smear positive tuberculosis in the Azadshahr district, Golestan province.
In this retrospective and cross-sectional study, all new patients with smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis who were registered and successfully completed their treatment at the health network of Azadshahr County, from April 2013 to October 2015, were entered to the study (45 patients). Data were collected from the patients’ records at the health care facilities, telephone interviews with patients and registry book of patients in the tuberculosis unite of health network.
The average duration of treatment and DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment, Short-Course) implementation was 195 and 158 days per patient, respectively. The average drug consumption was 741 pills and the average number of X-ray and laboratory tests (smear test) was 1.7 and 4.4 per patient, respectively. Each patient had been visited on average 8.8 times by physician and 27% of patients were hospitalized, their average length of stay was 1.8 days.
Our findings showed that the utilization pattern of resources and services in patients with tuberculosis was approximately consistent with protocols developed by World Health Organization (WHO) and Ministry of Health of Iran often.

Objective (s): Study of observed changes in disease incidence provides valuable information for planning and reform programs. In this study we use Poisson piecewise regression model for modeling change points and their locations for TB trend in of Iran. The findings showed that there are two change points for TB trend in Iran. We find two change points in TB trend and consequently we could divide the TB trend into three segments with different rate of TB.

In Iran vaccination with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is performed on all newborns within the first days of life for prevention of tuberculosis. It is a live attenuated vaccine and produced from genetically different vaccine strains of Mycobacterium bovis. This vaccine is safe but local adverse reactions such as administration site abscess and lymphadenitis occur in some healthy children vaccinated with this vaccine as the most common side effect of BCG vaccination. Disseminated BCG infections are very rare in immunocompetent children but lymphadenitis is very common in Iran and other countries. It is indicated that the vaccine strain and it’s genetically variations are correlated with these side effects. Therefore, in this study we aimed to analyze the genetic characterizations of vaccine strains used in Iran. Thirty infants showing lymphadenitis induced by BCG vaccination were chosen for this study. After aspiration from the lesions, they were subjected to acid fast staining and culture on Lowenstein Jensen medium. Subsequently, DNA was extracted from samples using Phenol–chloroform method. The genus of the isolates was characterized by primer for 16sRNA gene. Then using RD1, RD14 and DU1 primers and in the next step RD9, RD4Deleted, RD4Present and RD1Deleted primers the species and strains of the isolates were characterized. Performing 16sRNA PCR, all 30 samples of acid fast bacilli were confirmed as Mycobacterium genus. Then using RD1, RD14, DU1, RD9, RD4 Deleted, RD4 Present and RD1 Deleted primers all isolates were detected as Mycobacterium bovis BCG strain Pasteur. In this study all of the strains isolated from the patients were detected as Mycobacterium bovis BCG strain Pasteur. Therefore, the other possible factors causing BCG complications including BCG overdose, faulty intradermal technique, and disturbance of cellular immunity should be considered as the other risk factors of causing lesions.

Despite the socio-economic development of communities and control of many infectious diseases, Tuberculosis (TB) has remained as one of the most important reasons of death and disability in developing countries. Considering the unknown epidemiological situation of tuberculosis in the city of Torbat Heydariyeh, this study was conducted to assess epidemiological status of TB during 2010-2012.
This study is a cross-sectional study which is carried out on patients who were referred to health centers in Torbat Heydariyeh city during 2010-2012. Obtained data were registered in a pre-designed form. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics using SPSS 21 software.
Of total of 1874 TB suspected patients referred to health centers in city of Torbat Heydariyeh, 67 cases of TB were diagnosed by direct examination or culture. Of all the referred clients, 1031 (55%) were female and 843 (45%) were male and their age ranged between 2 to 90 years with a mean age of 50 years old. 58% of clients were lived in rural areas. Based on the clinical demonstration, 97% of patients had pulmonary tuberculosis and the others had non-pulmonary TB. Most cases of non-pulmonary tuberculosis observed in the lymph nodes. In overall, 4859 slides were examined which 150 of smear slide were positive.
Considering the results, there is a need for patient screening in age group of 65 years and above. Furthermore, it is recommended to inform people about TB using mass media and holding educational workshops on screening and early diagnosing of the disease.