[Evaluation of Nazilli Tuberculosis Dispensary activities executed between June 1996-May 2000: Pre-DOT situation].

Objective: To evaluate Nazilli Tuberculosis Dispensary activities executed between 1st June, 1996- 31st May, 2000 and to compare differences among 12-month-periods.

Design: Retrospective analyses of data.

Settings: People living in the villages under responsibility of Nazilli Tuberculosis Dispensary.

Population: People examined in out-patient clinic as symptomatic cases, for health report or during contact examination, number of mycobacteriological and radiological examinations, and tuberculosis cases detected in each year.

Main Results: Average number of newly diagnosed tuberculosis patient in every 12-month-period was 105. The average rate for new tuberculosis cases finding was 52.5%. Pulmonary tuberculosis was in 74.8% of all tuberculosis cases. The range of smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis cases in all tuberculosis cases differed from 49% to 71% and a decrease in the rate of cases with no sputum smear from 18% to 3% were observed. The average of bacteriological conversion rate at the end of second therapy month was 70.5%. The average of cure rate in new smear positive patients was 82%. According to drug susceptibility test results, 13 of new smear positive cases and 5 of old cases were multi-drug resistant tuberculosis.

Conclusion: Although the treatment success of either new smear positive or old smear positive tuberculosis cases were high, it is necessary to plan strategies for increasing the new case finding rate to 70%, the rate suggested by World Health Organization. The data obtained by this study showed that hopeful results may be achieved by stable staff and team-work in tuberculosis dispensary.