Epidemiology of tuberculosis among Afghan immigrants in Fars province, southern Islamic Republic of Iran

ABSTRACT

Rates of tuberculosis are high among migrants from high-incidence countries. This study determined the epidemiology of tuberculosis among Afghan immigrants in Fars province, southern Islamic Republic of Iran. From April 2000 to April 2002, all records were examined for new tuberculosis patients of Afghan origin registered at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. A total of 371 patients [208 males, 163 females] were found 74.9% pulmonary and 25.1% extrapulmonary cases. Of the 278 new cases of pulmonary tuberculosis, 157 [56.5%] were sputum smear-positive and 121 [43.5%] were sputum smear-negative. The incidence of tuberculosis per 100 000 Afghan population in Fars province was estimated at 96.2, 88.2 and 63.5 in 2000, 2001 and 2002 respectively