[Tuberculosis annual report 2010--(6) tuberculosis characteristics upon diagnosis-1]

This article focuses on the bacteriological status and chest radiography findings of tuberculosis (TB) patients registered at diagnosis in 2010. Among newly identified pulmonary TB (PTB) patients, the proportion of bacteriologically positive cases increased greatly from 25.7% in 1979 to 83.5% in 2010. During this period, the proportion of PTB patients with far-advanced cavities in the lungs remained stable at approximately 2%. This finding may indicate that the patients are diagnosed with TB on the basis of bacteriological test results rather than radiological findings. The proportion of cases that were confirmed by bacteriological tests increased with age for both male and female TB patients. Among male TB patients, the proportion of cavitary cases increased with age up to 50-59 years, and then decreased. In the 30-59 years age group, the proportion of sputum smear-positive PTB cases with cavitary lesions was 30.7% among male patients and 16.5% among female patients. Among the male patients, this proportion was the highest for "Temporary workers" (40.4%), and the lowest for "Teachers/ Nursery nurses" (12.5%). Among the female patients, the proportion was the highest for "Other self-employed" (28.1%), and the lowest for "Medical workers" (11.4%).