Epidemiology of tuberculosis in Cameroon as mirrored in notification data, 2006-2014

• Published in: The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease Vol. 20; no. 11; pp. 1489 - 1494
• Main Authors: Noeske, J., Nana Yakam, A., Abena Foe, J-L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: France International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease 01.11.2016
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Assessment; Cameroon; Cameroon - epidemiology; Child; Child, Preschool; Cohort Studies; Disease Notification - statistics & numerical data; Female; Follow-Up Studies; HIV Infections - diagnosis; HIV Infections - epidemiology; Humans; Incidence; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Lost to Follow-Up; Male; Middle Aged; Population Surveillance; Retrospective Studies; Socioeconomic Factors; Surveillance Data; Tuberculosis; Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant - diagnosis; Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant - drug therapy; Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant - epidemiology; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - diagnosis; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - drug therapy; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - epidemiology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1027-3719; 1815-7920
• DOI: 10.5588/ijtld.16.0252

SETTING: The Cameroonian National Tuberculosis Programme.OBJECTIVES: To assess case surveillance data for the 9-year period between January 2006 and December 2014.DESIGN: Retrospective descriptive analysis of tuberculosis (TB) case finding in Cameroon using routine surveillance data. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, disease category, clinical and laboratory variables, and geographic regions were analysed.RESULTS: The absolute number of TB cases (all forms) notified increased from 24 878 in 2006 to 26 517 in 2014; however, the population-adjusted annual case notification rate (CNR) of TB (all forms) as well as that of new smear-positive pulmonary TB cases decreased significantly, from 139 to 121 (P < 0.001) and from 77 to 70/100 000 population (P < 0.02), respectively. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection rate reported among all TB cases (39% in 2014) remained stable from 2009. The male-to-female ratio also remained stable, with a slight shift towards older age. There was a CNR gradient from the north to the south that appears to be related to HIV infection rates, population density and access to health services.CONCLUSIONS: TB CNRs in Cameroon for the 2006-2014 period show a slow but steady decrease, and there are indications that the trend reflects incidence. However, there is evidence to suggest that TB transmission is still ongoing.