[Current characteristics of advanced and rapidly progressive forms of pulmonary tuberculosis]

Tuberculosis morbidity and mortality in the Moldova Republic has deteriorated since 1991. The percentage of advanced and rapidly progressive forms of the disease rose 2-3-fold. Most of the patients are 21-50-year-old unemployed men living in poor financial and social conditions. Advanced and rapidly progressive tuberculosis forms present clinically with multiple symptoms and destructions, high incidence of generalized dissemination and involvement of the brain. Treatment effectiveness depends on feasibility of combined therapy incorporating 4-5 antituberculous drugs. After the treatment, 84.1% of the patients stopped bacterial discharge, closure of the caverns was achieved in 55.3% of the patients.