Epidemiological situation of tuberculosis in Uruguay: January 2008 - December 2014

Abstract

Tuberculosis is a contagious systemic disease caused by the bacillus of Koch. In Uruguay the incidence has increased in recent years according to reports from the Comisión Honoraria de la Lucha Antituberculosa y Enfermedades Prevalentes. The aim was to describe the epidemiological situation of tuberculosis in Uruguay during the period January 2008 to December 2014 and analyze the situation of health workers in the period. A retrospective observational study was performed. The studied population was constituted by individuals with a diagnosis of tuberculosis at national level, highlighting  health workers, diagnosed by the Comisión Honoraria de la Lucha Antituberculosa y Enfermedades Prevalentes.During the studied period, from 5.473 cases of tuberculosis recorded, 67.7% were men and 32.3% women. The age range which had the highest incidence was 25 to 34 years, with Montevideo department having the highest number of cases. Of the total 4.991 cases were pulmonary tuberculosis, cases with HIV co-infection were 14.5%, prisoners accounted for 9% and with regard to health workers, 143 cases were recorded, representing 2.6%. It is concluded that the incidence presented a sharp and continuous increase from 2011 to 2013, with a slight decrease in 2014. On health workers, the incidence had small variations between 2008 and 2011, and then stabilized in the years 2012-2014