EPIDEMIOLOGICAL PROFILE OF TUBERCULOSIS IN THE CITY OF JOÃO PESSOA, PB, BETWEEN 2007 AND 2010

Abstract

Objective: To describe the epidemiological profile of tuberculosis cases reported in the city of João Pessoa, Paraíba, between 2007 and 2010. Methods: This is a retrospective and descriptive study whose data were obtained from the Municipal Health Department, using the variables gender, age, type of admission, clinical presentation, clinical outcome, co-infection with HIV and sanitary district of occurrence. Results: During the study period, 1,829 cases were reported, with a mean of 457 cases per year. Men and individuals from 20 to 29 years were the most affected, representing 1,238 (67.7%) and 502 (27.4%) cases, respectively. The urban area concentrated 98.3% of cases. Among the reported cases, 1,461 were new admissions, and 161 were returns after treatment dropout. Co-infection with HIV occurred in 8.7% of registered cases. The pulmonary form occurred in 85.5% of cases, whereas the extrapulmonary form alone occurred in 12.3%. Cure was the most common clinical outcome - 48.5% of cases. The areas belonging to the sanitary district III concentrated most of the cases (19.13%). Conclusion: It is observed that the number of cases of tuberculosis reported in the city of João Pessoa is still high, and male, adult and resident in the urban area of the sanitary district III were the major risk factors. DESCRIPTORS: Epidemiology. Tuberculosis. Mycobacterium tuberculosis.