038 |
A COMPARISON OF NEW CASES (INCIDENCE CASES) WHO
HAD COME FROM DIFFERENT EPIDEMIOLOGICAL GROUPS IN THE POPULATION |
VV Krishnamurthy, SS Nair & GD Gothi: Indian
J TB 1978, 25, 144-46. |
In a five year epidemiological survey conducted
by National Tuberculosis Institute (NTI) from 1961 to 1968, the
population was mainly classified into three epidemiological groups
(i) with no radiological abnormalities seen in the lungs (Group
N) (ii) having X-ray shadows of non-tuberculous etiology or tuberculosis
etiology but judged as inactive (Group M) and (iii) with shadows
of tuberculosis etiology judged possibly or definitely active but
negative on culture (Group S). The objective of this paper is to
compare the characteristics of cases coming from the above three
groups (N, M and S) in respect to bacillary disease status (a) at
the time of diagnosis and (b) after a lapse of time (Fate). Out
of the total 172 new cases diagnosed during three follow ups, 70
were diagnosed between I & II surveys, 40 between II and III
and 62 between III-IV surveys. In the two 18 months follow up periods,
45 of the total new cases had come from Group N, 31 cases from Group
M and 34 cases from Group S, corresponding figures for 24 months
follow up (III & IV surveys) were 26, 26 and 10 respectively.
In the 18 months follow up it was observed that
proportion of new cases positive on culture in the three groups
were not significantly different. Comparison of fate of cases coming
from three groups were similar in terms of cure, death and culture
positivity. The findings point out clearly that not only development
of disease but also the fate of cases is independent of pre diagnosis
status of the new cases.
From all the 3 groups, disease developed more rapidly
in some cases than in others. This reveals that tuberculosis cases
are not an uniform entity from the point of view of development
of the disease and cure.
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KEY WORDS: INCIDENCE, CASE, EPIDEMIOLOGICAL
GROUPS, RURAL POPULATION. |