Assessment of Smear-Positive Pulmonary Tuberculosis and Associated Factors among Patients Visiting Health Facilities of Gedeo Zone, Southern Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction. Tuberculosis (TB) was one of the top causes of ill health and the leading cause of deaths worldwide until the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Hence, this study is aimed at assessing the prevalence of sputum smear-positive TB and associated factors among TB-suspected patients attending in Gedeo Zone health facilities, Southern Ethiopia. Methods. A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 220 TB-suspected patients in Gedeo Zone health facilities from July 01 to Sep 30, 2021. Patients were grouped as smear positive if one sputum out of two was positive or two sputum smears became positive. Various descriptive statistics were computed using the SPSS-25, and factors to smear positivity were identified by multivariable logistic regression analysis. Odds ratio at 95% CI and p values < 0.05 were considered as indicators of statistical association. Results. The overall prevalence of smear-positive TB in Gedeo Zone health facilities was 18.2%, which is significantly high, and the MTB detection rate of GeneXpert was 29.5%. Contact with a TB patient, cigarette smoking, and previously treatment for TB were factors significantly associated with smear-positive TB. Conclusion. The prevalence rate of smear-positive PTB in the study area was 18.2% and 29.5% by direct sputum AFB and sputum GeneXpert, respectively. As a result, we recommend intervention on the identified associated risk factors and further studies to ascertain risk factors and their magnitude at the community level.

Clinical Profile and Sputum Positivity Rate of Suspected Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients Presenting to a Tertiary Care Hospital in Southern Rajasthan

“…In another study conducted by Yohanes et al [1], the overall incidence of smear-positive pulmonary TB was 14.2% among 113 suspects of pulmonary TB who had a cough for more than 2 weeks. Mantefardo et al conducted a similar study on 220 suspect pulmonary TB patients and found a sputum positivity rate of 18.2% which is close to our study [2]. The total number of males in our study was significantly more than females (66.27% vs. 33.72%) highlighting the fact that male patients were more likely to present with symptoms of pulmonary TB, and hence, most sputum samples that were sent for analysis were of male patients.…”

“…The majority of patients presenting to the respiratory outpatient department of medical college in India are TB patients. There is a rising incidence of multidrugresistant (MDR) TB cases the causes of which are multi-factorial [2]. The aim of this study was to estimate the sputum acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear positivity rate and also the prevalence of MDR TB cases among patients suspected to have pulmonary TB presenting to tertiary care hospital in Southern Rajasthan.…”