The tuberculosis control program in Pelotas/RS, Brazil: home contact investigations

The aim of this study is to evaluate the investigation actions of home contacts of tuberculosis (TB) index cases in the Tuberculosis Control Program (TCP) of Pelotas/RS - Brazil. This cross-sectional descriptive study was based on data from the records of index cases. The sample consisted of 163 con...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inRevista gaúcha de enfermagem Vol. 34; no. 2; p. 102
Main Authors de Lima, Lílian Moura, Schwartz, Eda, Gonzáles, Roxana Isabel Cardozo, Harter, Jenifer, de Lima, Julyane Felipette
Format Journal Article
LanguagePortuguese
Published Brazil 01.06.2013
Subjects
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Brazil
Child
Child, Preschool
Community-Acquired Infections - diagnosis
Community-Acquired Infections - epidemiology
Community-Acquired Infections - prevention & control
Contact Tracing
Cross-Sectional Studies
Environmental Exposure
Family Health
Female
Humans
Income - statistics & numerical data
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Male
Middle Aged
Multicenter Studies as Topic - statistics & numerical data
Mycobacterium tuberculosis - isolation & purification
Program Evaluation
Radiography
Sputum - microbiology
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - diagnosis
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - diagnostic imaging
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - epidemiology
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - microbiology
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - prevention & control
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - transmission
Urban Population
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Summary:The aim of this study is to evaluate the investigation actions of home contacts of tuberculosis (TB) index cases in the Tuberculosis Control Program (TCP) of Pelotas/RS - Brazil. This cross-sectional descriptive study was based on data from the records of index cases. The sample consisted of 163 contacts of 68 subjects with pulmonary TB in treatment in the TCP between June and August, 2009. These contacts were predominantly female, over 10 years of age and the daughters of index cases. The requested examination was a chest radiography and bacilloscopy. Active TB was found in 1.8 % of contacts. Results show that assistance for TB patients in Pelotas-Brazil, which is centralized in a single specialized service, hinders the investigation of home contacts. Primary care is required to narrow the gap between professionals and the family, and facilitate early diagnosis and interruption of the TB transmission chain in a timely manner.
ISSN:0102-6933