The characteristics of pulmonary tuberculosis amongst patients attending chest clinic, including age, sex, occupation and hemoglobin concentration in Benin City, Nigeria

F. A. Ehiaghe, I. J. Ehiaghe, S. T. Aladenika, S. M. O. Etikerentse, A. I. Ikusemoro, B. H. Oladehinde, E. O. Osakue, S. S. Enitan, J. K. Fadairo

Chemical Pathology Department, Igbinedion University Teaching Hospital, Okada, Nigeria.
Department of Hematology, College of Health Sciences, Igbinedion University, Okada, Nigeria.
Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Achievers University, Owo, Nigeria.
Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, Igbinedion University, Okada, Nigeria.
Department of Physiology, College of Health Sciences, Igbinedion University, Okada, Nigeria.
Lahor Research Laboratory, Benin City, Nigeria.

DOI: 10.4236/ojcd.2013.31004                

Abstract

 

Aim: To study characteristics of pulmonary tuberculosis amongst patients attending chest clinics in Benin City. Materials and Methods: A total of 816 subjects comprising of 563 (69%) males and 253 (31%) females were enlisted for this study. Sputum specimen and blood were collected from all subjects. Acid alcohol fast bacilli from sputa were examined using the Ziehl Nelson staning technique. Hemoglobin concentration was determined using the method described by Dacis and Lewis. Result: Pulmonary tuberculosis infection was significantly affected by age among the male and female subjects studied (P < 0.05). Subjects within the age group of 21 - 30 years and 41 - 50 years had the highest risk of acquiring TB amongst the male and female population respectively. Although the unemployed subjects had the highest prevalence of TB (35%), occupation did not significantly affect the prevalence of TB (P > 0.05). Irrespective of gender, anemia was significantly associated with pulmonary tuberculosis infection (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis (37.4%) was significantly affected by age among male and female subjects. Anemia was associated with TB infection. Intervention effort at curbing the prevalence of TB and anemia is advocated.

Keywords

Tuberculosis; Anemia; Alcohol Acid Fast Bacilli (AAFB); Nigeria

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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