Abstract
Introduction
Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, is curable and preventable. Globally, 10.8 million people (55% men) fell ill with TB in 2023. The incidence of TB in Cambodia in 2022 was 320/100,000, with a mortality rate of 23/100,000. Understanding TB patient characteristics is crucial for effective interventions. This study describes TB case characteristics in Stung Treng Province from 2018 to 2023.
Methods
A retrospective study was conducted to analyze TB data extracted from the TB management information system (TB-MIS) in Stung Treng Province from 2018 to 2023. Descriptive analysis was performed to examine case trends, socio-demographics (gender, age, nationality, address, treatment center), patient type, case definition, disease site, TB with HIV status, and treatment outcomes via Microsoft Excel.
Results
A total of 1052 TB cases reported from 16 out of 20 health facilities were analyzed during this six-year period. The highest and lowest trends of notified TB cases were observed in 2019 (299 cases) and 2022 (86 cases), respectively. Childhood TB represented 22.81% (240 cases). Most of the patients were Khmer, and the largest age group was 55–64 years (209 patients). Males represented 63.50% (668 patients) of all patients. Pulmonary TB (59.03% or 621 cases) was common, with 75.04% (466 cases) being bacteriologically confirmed, while most extrapulmonary TB cases were clinically diagnosed (99.77%, 430). The majority of notified TB patients (83.75%) were tested for HIV, 3 of whom were HIV positive. The treatment success rate was high, ranging from 98.84% to 100%. However, the treatment cure rate (among bacteriologically confirmed TB cases) was low, with an average of only 38.79%.
Conclusions
The number of TB cases in males reported in Stung Treng Province was significantly greater than that reported in females. However, case detection of TB in all forms remains a challenge. More estimated cases remain undetected. Moreover, the cure rate of bacteriologically confirmed cases is low. To improve TB control in the province, TB diagnosis and proper referral to hospitals should be ensured. Active case finding and contact investigations must be strengthened, especially in hard-to-reach areas and high-risk groups such as older adults and males, with adequate supplies maintained. To address the low cure rate, regular TB-MIS training, data quality audits, and proper follow-up treatment for bacteriologically confirmed cases, mainly a smear examination at month 5 or month 6, are essential. Expanding TB services to all health facilities and ensuring 100% HIV testing coverage among TB patients are also essential.