Profile and treatment outcomes of patients with tuberculosis in Northeastern  Ethiopia: a cross sectional study.

Daniel Mekonnen, Awoke Derbie, Hailu Mekonnen, Yohannes Zenebe
1. Department of Medical Microbiology Immunology and Parasitology, College of Medicine
and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
2. Biotechnology Research Institute, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
3. Departments of Curative Treatment, Raya Kobo Woreda Health Office, Kobo, Ethiopia

Abstract:
Background: Data on the epidemiology of tuberculosis and its treatment outcomes were incomplete in the study area and this  study was done to fill this gap.

Methods:Institution based cross sectional study was conducted from January 2011 to December 2014. A total of 949 TB patients who were on treatment in North Eastern Ethiopia, Eastern Amhara region were included. Data was analyzed using SPSS  version 20. Frequency, percentages and means were used to present data. To assess the associations of treatment outcomes with  sex, age, type of TB and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), logistic regression was used.

Results: The proportion of smear positive and negative pulmonary TB, and extra pulmonary TB were 187/949 (19.7%),  322/949 (33.9%) and 440/949 (46.4%), respectively. Treatment success rate was 853/949 (89.9%). Smear positive pulmonary TB  and TB/HIV co-infections were significantly associated with unsuccessful treatment outcome, P≤ 0.002.

Conclusion:Extra pulmonary TB was the most prevalent types of TB followed by smear negative pulmonary TB. Treatment  success rate was above the WHO target of 85%. The causes for the high proportion of smear negative PTB and EPTB should  be further investigated. Special emphasis should be put on smear positive PTB patients and TB/HIV co-infected patients to  decrease unsuccessful treatment outcome and TB transmissions.

Keywords:Tuberculosis, types of tuberculosis, treatment outcomes, Ethiopia.