Prevalence of cough more than two weeks among OPD attendees, and smear microscopy outcome among them

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is a public health emergency, which challenges the health indicators of India. Delayed diagnosis of TB may result in more extensive disease, more complications, and lead to a higher mortality. It also leads to an increased period of infectivity in the community. Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) of the country has modified the definition of a pulmonary TB suspect so as to include an additional proportion of people with cough of 2 weeks duration, which will help in reducing the delay in starting treatment. This study was carried out with the objective of estimating the prevalence of cough more than 2 weeks among OPD attendees, and smear microscopy outcome among them and to assess the treatment seeking behavior of patients with cough = 2 weeks. The present cross-sectional study was carried out at Out-Patient Department of GianSagar Medical College and Hospital, Banur, Distt. Patiala , Punjab. All adult chest symptomatics with cough of two weeks or more than two weeks duration attending in OPD were screened for pulmonary tuberculosis by examining the two sputum smears in designated microscopy center as per RNTCP guidelines. A total of 16030 adult patients attended outpatients department (OPD) in the months of May and June 2013. Out of these, 561(3.5%) patients reported cough. Among patients who reported cough, 70(12.5%) patients reported cough = 2 weeks duration.Of those who coughed for two weeks or more, 10 (14.2%) had smear positive PTB .Of the patients who had cough = 2 weeks duration, only 21.4% of patients reported to a health facility for treatment within 1st week of symptoms and majority (50%) of them preferred going to private practitioners.It may be concluded that reservoir of tuberculosis infection can only be reduced by early detection and prompt and complete treatment of sputum positive cases.