       Document 0458
 DOCN  M9630458
 TI    The epidemiology of tuberculosis in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands,
       1988-92: effectiveness of control measures.
 DT    9603
 AU    Caminero JA; Diaz F; Rodriguez de Castro F; Pavon JM; Esparza R; Cabrera
       P; Section of Pneumology, Hospital Universitario Nuestra Senora del;
       Pino, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
 SO    Tuber Lung Dis. 1995 Oct;76(5):387-93. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/96091561
 AB    SETTING: Since there is no national programme for tuberculosis control
       in Spain and the epidemiological situation in this country is unknown, a
       programme against tuberculosis in Gran Canaria (Canary Islands) was
       started in 1987. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the impact of this control
       programme, particularly the trend of new cases of tuberculosis by age
       groups and risk factors for 1988-92. DESIGN: A detailed search of all
       new cases of tuberculosis was carried out by examining the files of all
       public and private hospitals and outpatient clinics of the island, the
       records of the Services of Clinical Microbiology and Pathology of the
       public hospitals, and the registers of patients with AIDS. RESULTS: The
       annual rates of new cases of tuberculosis per 100,000 were 32.2 in 1988
       (214 cases), 26.2 in 1990 (174 cases), and 29.4 in 1992 (196 cases), and
       the rates of sputum-positive cases 13.3 (89 cases), 12 (80 cases) and 15
       (100 cases), respectively. The distribution of tuberculosis cases by age
       peaked in the age groups 40-49 and 30-39 years. Between 1988 and 1992,
       statistically significant differences were found in the percentage of
       cured patients (21% [45/214] vs 85.7% [168/196]), patients with a delay
       in diagnosis > 3 months (40.2% [86/214] vs 21.9% [43/196]), and contacts
       evaluated (45.3% [97/214] vs 90.3% [177/196]). However, an upward trend
       in the incidence of tuberculosis for 1990-92 was found in association
       with an increase of new cases among the homeless, immigrants, and
       HIV-infected people. When these three population groups were excluded
       from the analysis, the annual rate for the total population showed a
       progressive decline from 1988-92. CONCLUSIONS: The data studied here
       show that successful priority control measures (cure rate, early
       diagnosis, study of contacts) have been achieved in this island. It is
       necessary, however, to develop strategies for combating the tuberculosis
       problem in specific high risk populations.
 DE    Adolescence  Adult  Age Factors  Aged  Child  Child, Preschool
       Emigration and Immigration  Female  Homeless Persons  Human  HIV
       Infections/COMPLICATIONS  Incidence  Infant  Male  Middle Age  Risk
       Factors  Spain/EPIDEMIOLOGY  Time Factors
       Tuberculosis/COMPLICATIONS/*EPIDEMIOLOGY/PREVENTION & CONTROL  JOURNAL
       ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

