Tuberc Respir Dis.  1979 Mar;26(1):8-14. 10.4046/trd.1979.26.1.8.

A Bacteriological Survey of Tuberculosis Patients Registered in Public Health Centers in Korea

• KMID: 2528905
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4046/trd.1979.26.1.8

Abstract

Of 198 Public Health Centers in the whole country, 32 Centers were randomly selected during 18 months from June of 1976 to December of 1977. From the 4,828 patients registered at these Centers, 2,923 sputum specimens were collected. Upon culturing, 561 bacterial strains were obtained. Smear and culture posive rates as well as drug susceptibility patterns according to the duration of chemotherapy and the extent of disease were determined. 1. The total positive rate(smear positive and culture positive) of 2,923 tuberculosis patients eligible for sputum collection was 21.4 % (624 cases), and the culture positive rate was 19.2 % (561 cases). 2. The number of total positive patients by the duration of treatment were 11 (26.9 % ) of tuberculosis patients within 3 months, 180(17.9 % ) of 1004 patients between 4 months to 12 months, which indicated decreased positivities. However, the total positive rates according to the duration of treatment from 4 months to 24 months were not statisticaly significant(p > 0.05). 3. Total bacillary positivities by the extent of disease were 7.6 % in minimal cases, 18.3% in moderately advanceà cases without cavity, 35.1 % in far advanced cases without cavity and 45.9% in far advanced cases with cavity (p < 0.01). 4. 479 strains (85.4%) were resistant to one or more durgs, and 133 strains (23.8%) were resistant to three durgs from 561 strains tested. Resistance rates to one drug were 31.5 % to INH , 2.3% to SM and 0.6% to PAS from 479 cases 5. There were no significant differences among total drug resistance rates, the rates of resistance to three drugs and to INH alone by the duration of treatment(p > 0.05). 6. Drug resistance by the extent of disease was as follows: Of 44 minimai cases ,38 strains (86.4% ) were resistant to one or more drugs, and 8 strains (18.2%) were resistant to three drugs. Of 272 moderately advanced cases, 231 strains (84.9 % ) were resistant to one or more drugs, and 66 strains (24.3 % ) were resistant to three drugs. Of 245 far advanced cases, 216 strains (85.7% ) were resistant to one or more drugs , and 59 strains (24.1 % ) were resistant to three drugs. 7. Drug resistance patterns by pulmonary cavitary existance were summurized as follows: in the the 165 cases of advanced patients without cavity there were 134 cases (81.2 % ) of drug resistance, 82 cases (21.8 % ) resistant to three drugs and 68 cases (27.3 % ) resistant to lNH. 111 the far advanced cases with cavity, 125 cases (89.5% ) were resistant to one or more drugs, 43(30.7 % ) were resistant to three drugs and 194(23.6 % ) were resistant to l NH alone. There were no significant differences between drug resistance patterns and pulmonary cavitary existence(p> 0.05).