Annual risk of tuberculosis infection among tribal population of central India.

Rao, V.G.; Gopi, P.G.; Yadav, R.; Subramani, R.; Bhat, J.; Anvikar, A.R.; Sadacharam, K.; Tiwari, B.K.; Gadge, V.; Bhondeley, M.K.; Shukla, G.P.; Ukey, M.; Jain, S.; Wares, D.F.

Tropical Medicine and International Health; 2008; 13; 1372–1377.

Summary: Objective: To estimate the annual risk of tuberculosis infection (ARTI) among tribal children of Madhya Pradesh, central India .

Methods: Community-based, cross-sectional tuberculin survey among children aged 1–9 years in the tribal population of Madhya Pradesh. Multistage stratified cluster sampling was used to select a representative random sample of villages predominated by tribal population from selected districts. A total of 4802 children were tuberculin-tested with 1TU of PPD RT 23 and the reaction sizes read after 72 h.

Results: A total of 3062 (64%) children had no BCG scar. The frequency distribution of children by reaction sizes indicated a fair mode at 18 mm in the right hand side of the distribution. By mirror-image technique, the prevalence of infection among children with no recognizable BCG scar was estimated as 6.8% (95% CI: 4.8–8.9%). The ARTI was computed as 1.3% (0.9–1.7%). The corresponding figures for children irrespective of scar status were 7.1% (95% CI: 5.5–8.8%) and 1.3% (1.0–1.7%) respectively.

Conclusions: The risk of tuberculosis infection in tribal population of Madhya Pradesh, central India is not different from other areas of the country. There is, however, a need to further intensify tuberculosis control measures on a sustained and long-term basis.

Keywords: tuberculosis, prevalence of infection, annual risk of tuberculosis infection, tribal, central India

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