[The incidence and prevalence of chronic pulmonary tuberculosis in Galaţi County]

In Galaţi County, the tuberculosis is augmenting constantly, the incidence increased from 46.6/100,000 in 1985 to 64.5/100,000 in 1990 and 112.2/100,000 in 1997. The incidence (new and readmitted cases) increased by 140% (2.4 times) in 1997 compared to 1985, the level in 1997 being higher than the mean level of the whole country. About 80% of the patients eliminated mycobacteria at the time of diagnosis, and 80% of these had positive smears. Thus, the periodic prevalence of the smear positive increased, and the children's risk also. An important factor for supplying the secondary pool with new infected individuals are the chronic and hyper-chronic patients (group IB and IC). In the last 3 years 281 chronic patients were registered, 218 in group IB and 63 in IC. The main cause for the failure of treatment are incomplete, irregular therapy and uncooperative patients. Chronic patients are also the source of infection with multidrug resistant germs. The high prevalence of chronic patients justifies also the increase in TB mortality in the last 7 years: 4.2/100,000 in 1990 and 12.9/100,000 in 1996. Only by increasing the curing rate and reducing the therapeutic failure can the chronic TB problem be solved.