[Epidemiologic study on tuberculosis in the health area of Santiago de Compostela in 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998]

We report the epidemiological characteristics of tuberculosis(TB) in the area of Santiago de Compostela (Spain) between 1995 and 1998.

Inclusion criteria were: 1) microbiological and/or pathological diagnosis of TB in any specimen, and 2) consistent recent medical history of TB with reading > 5 mm to 2 TU PPD tuberculin test 48-72 hours after injection, and adenosine deaminase in pleural effusion > 47 IU/ml.

1,150 patients were included (685 males and 465 females), with mean of age (X) 38.9 years (19.8 SD), range 3 months-88 years. The number of cases was 307 during 1995 and 1996, 302 in 1997 and 213 in 1998. The incidence rate (per 100,000 habitants) was 78.3 in 1995 and 1996, 79.8 in 1997 and 61.9 in 1998. The incidence rate of meningitis was 1.8 in 1995, 1.3 in 1996, 1.05 in 1997 and 0.8 in 1998, with no meningitis in children under 5 years. Cases in association with VIH were 4.2% in 1995, 3.3 in 1996, 5.4 in 1997 and 3.2 in 1998. More of the 50% of cases in both genders were between 15 and 40 years old with another peak over 65 years. The ratio men/woman was 1.8 in 1995 and 1.4 in 1996, 1997 and 1998.

The incidence of tuberculosis has diminished during the last year, but is too early to know the real tendency.