Follow-up of Contacts of Tuberculosis Cases

Abstract

Introduction: Tuberculosis is worldwide the main cause of death due to infectious disease.

Objective: To verify compliance with outbreak control actions associated with contacts of tuberculosis cases.

Methods: Descriptive and cross-sectional study. The universe was made up of the 338 contacts identified from ten cases of tuberculosis. The data came from epidemiological surveys, morbidity database and notification cards of the municipal hygiene and epidemiology unit of Boyeros Municipality. The following variables were used: age, sex, educational level and occupation. The vulnerability factors in the contacts were identified, as well as compliance with medical examination, complementary tests, performance and result of tuberculin test, chemoprophylaxis and follow-up.

Results: The male sex (64.2%) and people over 65 years of age (46.7%) prevailed. The most frequent vulnerable groups were contacts in health units with prolonged hospitalization and aged over 60 years (87.2% and 62.1%, respectively). The actual number of contacts and partners was not detected, nor 100% of them were investigated. The tuberculin tests carried out showed the highest percentage of non-reactors. 90% of the contacts received chemoprophylaxis and their follow-up was poor.

Conclusions: There was no timely detection of the contacts and cohabitants of tuberculosis cases and no compliance with their study, which constituted the main deficiencies of the outbreak controls carried out. The follow-up of the contacts was inadequate, which could lead to the appearance of new cases of tuberculosis in the municipality.