Former Close Contacts, New Tuberculosis Cases

Objectives: Evaluating new TB cases who are former close contacts and ‘’ lost to follow up’’ during their isoniazid preventive treatment (IPT)
 

Methods: Between 01.01.2013- 12.31.2018, 8 new TB cases who registered Ankara 3rd TB Dispensary were former close contacts. In this retrospective study, we evalute both preventive and TB treatment period of them.
 

Results: Age when they were close contacts: 19,8 (14-23), Gender of close contacts: 2 female, 6 male Contact media: All house hold contacts, TST results of close contacts: 5/8 have TST recordings, 3 of them TST (+), Duration under IPT: App. 65 days (30-135 days), Time between being a close contact under IPT and TB diagnosis: 4 years 1 month (9 months-13 years 8 months), Site of TB at index TB All sputum S (+) P-TB, Site of TB at former close contact: 6 P-TB; 1 PTB + EP-TB(bone-joint); 1 EP-TB(pericarditis), Bacteriological findings of new cases: Sputum 4 S(+) C(+), 3 S(-) C(+); pericardial fluid S(-) C(+), Other risk factors of new cases: 2 health care workers, 1 migrant.
 

Conclusion: IPT prevents occurance of new TB cases, so it ‘s very important to follow up and complete IPT on time at close contacts of TB patients. Because of this, we need new policies (may be sanctions) for close contacts to prevent ‘’lost to follow up’’ IPT cases. Our study consists of Ankara 3rd TB Dispensary ‘’lost to follow up IPT- TB cases’’ data; a new study which includes all IPT results of close contacts (completion/lost to follow up) all over the country will provide statistically significant data.