PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS IN THE REPUBLIC-OF-IRELAND - AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC PROFILE FROM A SINGLE UNIT

We present a retrospective epidemiological analysis of 1011 adults with a first time diagnosis of pulmonary TB seen between 1980–1985. Most (98·7%) were from the Republic of Ireland and 68·4% were male. Both males and females showed a bimodal age distribution with 37·6% of females and 18·8% of males aged younger than 30 years. More than half (58·6%) of patients smoked cigarettes and 63·7% consumed alcohol. Two patients indulged in the use of hard drugs. Only 5% of patients were asymptomatic and 0·9% of patients had symptoms for longer than 1 year. Radiologically, 54·7% of patients had bilateral disease; 58·5% had cavities and 10% had pleural effusions. Mantoux testing was positive to 1 tuberculin unit Mantoux in 76%; to 10 tuberculin units Mantoux in 15·3%; to 100 tuberculin units Mantoux in 3·7%; and negative to 100 tuberculin units in 5·0%. Primary drug resistance occurred in 0·9% of patients. Ninety (9·0%) of patients died before completing antituberculous treatment and in 40 patients tuberculosis was the principle or main cause of death. © 1990, Baillière Tindall. All rights reserved.