Epidemiologic Study of Tuberculosis During ۲۰۰۶ - ۲۰۱۵ in Salmas, Iran

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease which can be lethal in most cases. About ۷ million people are infected withTB worldwide. The disease is a major health challenge in developing countries and also in several parts of Iran. Ninety-five percent of۳ million deaths caused by TB annually occur in developing countries. Bearing in mind concerns byWHOabout a lack of TB statisticsin Iran, this survey aims to study the epidemiology of tuberculosis from ۲۰۰۶ to ۲۰۱۵ in Salmas, Iran.Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on the data obtained from personal health records of ۳۱۹۵ people who werereferred to the community health center in Salmas from ۲۰۰۶ to ۲۰۱۵. Patients participated in the study by filling out a checklist.Data was analyzed statistically using version ۲۱ of SPSS software. Chi-square, t-test and the Cochran-Armitage ۲ test for trend wereperformed.Results: Out of a total of ۳۱۹۵ patients, ۸۴ patients (۴۲ male and ۴۲ female) were identified as smear-positive; ۴۲ smear-positivepatients were from the urban areas (۵۰%) and ۴۲ patients from the rural regions (۵۰%). Of all TB cases, ۶۴ patients were diagnosedwith pulmonary tuberculosis (۷۶%), while ۲۰ patients suffered from extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (۲۴%). The TB incidence rate was۰.۱۶.Conclusions: The present study shows that there is a decline in pulmonary tuberculosis incidence rates in Salmas but extrapulmonaryTB has shown an increase as a results of poverty, population dynamics, inadequate healthcare, failure to control thediseases, income inequality and physio-psychological stress. Medical care delivered by health providers on a monthly basis is expectedto reduce the incidence of tuberculosis in the city in the near future.