[The epidemiological aspects of tuberculous pleurisy in Romania]

The re-organization of the Tb network in Romania, which took place after 1948, made possible a gradual accumulation of a number of data on the epidemiological surveillance of the territory, including the tuberculous pleurisies. The incidence of tuberculous pleurisies showed a decrease from 30.7/100,000 to 4.2/100,000 between 1958 and 1985, followed by a "stagnation" at 4.3/100,000 for 1986-1989. In 1990, the incidence of Tb pleurisy reached 6.8/100,000. The weight of pleural localization among the respiratory ones was maintained 15%-13% for 1960-1980, with a subsequent diminution up to 7.9% in 1989. By age-groups, the incidence of Tb pleurisy was at its highest level (19.1/100,000) at the age of 20-24 years in 1990 (as well as in 1972, 1980 and 1985). The present time imperative is the improving of the etiological diagnosis of pleurisies by a larger accessibility to the histological (pleural biopsy puncture) and bacteriological investigations.