Notas sobre el control de la tuberculosis en Nicaragua

Abstract

In a tuberculosis campaign conducted in Nicaragua (population 1,569,716), 134,265 tuberculin tests were performed at health centers throughout the country and by a recently acquired mobile unit on 29,241 persons living in Managua, and 105,024 persons living in the remainder of the country; 99,063 persons received BCG vaccinations, and treatment of cases and chemoprophylaxis of contacts was begun. The majority of the population examined was aged under 19 years. It was found that the prevalence of tuberculin-positivity, which was 23.7 percent, tended to increase with age (15.3 percent in the 1-19 year group, and 48.6 percent in the 20 or over group), was lower among females, and reached the maximum in the 30-49 year group (62 percent in men, 49 percent in women). Of the population examined in Managua, 30.8 percent were found to be tuberculin-positive, and 22.3 percent of the population living in the other departments of the country. The collected data made it possible to estimate that there are in the country 129,049 infected persons in the 19-year group, and 352,986 in the 20 or over group. Of the tuberculin-positive persons, 4,093 were X-rayed, and of these, 1.84 percent turned out to be active tuberculosis cases, whose treatmetn was begun immediately. The highest case frequently was recorded in persons whose tuberculin reactions measured from 10 to 15 mm in diameter, in all age groups