| Morbidity rates of tuberculosis contacts and the factors concerned |
|
Hyo Keun Lee1, Sung Suk Ham1, Sung Ok Park1, Sun Ja Park1, Yong Ok Choi1, Ki Yong Lee2, Jin Keun Hong3 |
1Department of Thoracic Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
2Seoul City Dongboo Hospital, Red Cross Hospital, Seoul, Korea
3Seoul City Yong Dung Po Hospital, Seoul City Joongboo Hospital, Seoul, Korea |
| 폐결핵환자가족의 이병실태에 관한 연구 |
|
이효근1, 함성숙1, 박성옥1, 박선자1, 이기용1, 홍진근2, 3 |
|
|
|
|
| Abstract |
INTRODUCTION
It is estimated that there are approximately 500,000 patients with active pulmonary
tuberculosis and less than 4,000 sanatorium beds in Korea(7). Therefore. the majority of patients including those who are infections remain at home and come to the clinic for drugs and X-rays.
The importance of contact examination in tuberculosis has been recognized for
many years. It is probable that the first organized scheme for the examination of contacts was in Edinburgh in 1887( 1).
Attempts were made to diagnose the disease at an early stage and to institute treatment. The importance of contact examination and of the increased tuberculo3is morbidity among contacts was stressed by various authors(2 ,3). The purpose of this study is to present the morbidity rates of tuberculosis contacts and to find factors which influence it. lt is also felt that this study might give us valuable information as to the most useful methods in the control of the disease.
RESULTS
1. A total of 900 index case3 were registered at Chest Clinic in Severance, Red Cross, Seoul City Dongboo, Joongboo and Seoul City Yong Dung Po Hospitals in 1959. Of these index cases there were 3, 526 household contacts.
2. Among these contacts 3,002, or 85.2%, were X-rayed and 357, or 11.9%, were found to have active pulmonary tuberculosis.
3. The attendance was lower in the older age groups and children under ten years of age. The attendance was slightly better for female than for male contacts.
4. Morbidity rates are closely related to the age, sex, extent of disease, bacteriologic status of source cases and relationship to their source cases and also according to whether they live in the same or a different room.
5. The morbidity rate varies considerably accoding to the age and sex of the contacts.
6. In primary tuberculosis parents were the main souκe of the infection.
7. There was a considerable number of hidden source cases among the older age groups of contacts.
8. The examination of contacts is the most effective way to find active cases, to make an early diagnosis and to institute treatment. |
|
PDF Links
Full text via DOI
Download Citation
