Abstract: Background: Contacts of index cases of active tuberculosis (TB) disease were at a higher risk of developing active TB disease than the general population who were not so exposed. This research was aimed at determining the prevalence and risk factors of active TB disease among contacts of patients with active TB disease.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional study involving the contacts of index TB cases at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital Awka. Patients diagnosed of active TB disease were recruited and their contacts identified through in-depth interview. The contacts underwent clinical screening, and relevant samples were also collected for Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay.
Results: A total 121 index cases of active TB disease were enrolled for this study and they generated 474 contacts. Active TB disease was detected in 2.9% of the entire contacts investigated and in 3.3% of the under-five contacts. Occurrence of active TB disease in the contacts was significantly associated with presence of symptoms of TB (p < 0.05) but not significantly associated with some other identified risk factors including age, gender, type of contacts, and smear positivity of index case (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Contacts of patients with active tuberculosis disease, by virtue of their characteristic of sharing the same enclosed space for living, working and other social gathering points, were at a higher risk of developing active TB disease than the general population. An effective and wholistic investigation of contacts of persons with active TB disease is essential for finding previously undiagnosed TB cases especially in high TB burden settings like Nigeria.
Keywords: tuberculosis, contacts, prevalence, risk factors.
Title: Prevalence and risk factors of active tuberculosis disease in contacts of tuberculosis cases treated in a teaching hospital in southeast Nigeria: a cross-sectional study
Author: Ifeoma Anne Njelita, Chinyerem Cynthia Nwachukwu, Ifeanyi Gabriel Eyisi, Chijioke Amara Ezenyeaku, Hilary Nkem Okeke
International Journal of Healthcare Sciences
ISSN 2348-5728 (Online)
Vol. 13, Issue 1, April 2025 - September 2025
Page No: 80-89
Research Publish Journals
Website: www.researchpublish.com
Published Date: 01-May-2025
