BCG coverage and the annual risk of tuberculosis infection over a 14-year period in the Philippines assessed from the Nationwide Prevalence Surveys

• Published in: The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease Vol. 4; no. 3; pp. 216 - 222
• Main Authors: TUPASI, T. E, RADHAKRISHNA, S, SOLON, M, SOLON, F, BURTON, L, LOFRANCO, V. S, ROSTRATA, M. P. C, MANTALA, M. J, PASCUAL, M. L, QUELAPIO, M. I. D, VILLA, M. L, CO, V. M, SAROL, J, MANGUBAT, N, REYES, A. C, SARMIENTO, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Paris, France IUATLD 01.03.2000; Union internationale contre la tuberculose et les maladies respiratoires
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Annual Risk Of Tb Infection (arti); Bacterial diseases; Bcg; BCG Vaccine; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Cluster Analysis; Female; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Infant; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Philippines; Philippines - epidemiology; Prevalence; Revalence Survey; Tropical medicine; Tuberculin Test; Tuberculosis - epidemiology; Tuberculosis - prevention & control; Tuberculosis and atypical mycobacterial infections; Asia; Philippine Islands; Philippines; Human; Prevalence; Treatment efficiency; Vaccination; BCG; Mycobacterial infection; Epidemiology; Infection; Prevention; Treatment; Tuberculosis; Immunotherapy; Risk factor; Bacteriosis; Public health
• ISSN: 1027-3719; 1815-7920

SETTING: A prevalence survey of tuberculosis (TB) infection was undertaken in the Philippines, a developing country in the Western Pacific region. OBJECTIVE: To determine the bacille Calmette Guérin (BCG) vaccination rate, the prevalence of TB infection and the annual risk of TB infection (ARTI).METHODS: A nationwide stratified multi-stage cluster survey of 21960 individuals. BCG scar verification and tuberculin test were performed on those aged ≥2 months. The ARTI was calculated using the prevalence rates of TB infection in children aged 5-9 years.RESULTS: BCG scars were noted in 66% of the study population. The prevalence of TB infection was 63.4% among unvaccinated individuals. The prevalence rate was higher in males in both urban and rural areas. With both sexes combined, urban and rural communities had similar prevalence rates. In children aged 5-9 years, the prevalence rate was 16.1% (males 17.4%, females 14.9%), corresponding to an ARTI of 2.3% (males 2.5%, females 2.1%).CONCLUSION: BCG coverage increased substantially between 1981-1983 and 1997. The ARTI, however, was virtually unchanged, indicating that morbidity due to TB continued to be high.