Prevalence of diabetes mellitus in newly diagnosed pulmonary  tuberculosis in Beira, Mozambique.

Damiano Pizzol1, Francesco Di Gennaro, Kajal D. Chhaganlal, Claudia Fabrizio, Laura Monno, Giovanni Putoto, Annalisa Saracino
1. Research Section, Doctors with Africa CUAMM; Beira – Mozambique
2. Clinic of Infectious Diseases, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
3. Center for Research in Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, Catholic University of Mozambique;
Beira – Mozambique
4. Research Section, Doctors with Africa CUAMM; Padova – Italy

Abstract:
Introduction:Data regarding the association between diabetes mellitus (DM) and tuberculosis (TB) in Africa are scarce. DM  screening among TB patients in Mozambique was carried out.

Methods:The study was implemented from January to August 2016 in three Urban Health Centers in Beira, Mozambique and  recruited adult (>18 years) patients newly diagnosed with pulmonary TB.

Results:Three hundred and one patients were enrolled (67.4%, males mean age 31.7(SD 11 years). Diabetes was diagnosed in  only 3 patients (1%) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in an additional 6 subjects (2%).

Conclusion: A lower than expected prevalence of DM was observed, which could be explained by the lack of traditional risk  factors for DM (overweight, age over 45 years, hypertension and smoking) in Mozambique.

Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, pulmonary tuberculosis, Beira, Mozambique.