[An approach to the control of the so-called vagrant patients with tuberculosis]

In recent 3 years, we experienced 46 cases of so-called vagrants, who were admitted for active tuberculosis to our hospital at the time of detection, their disease was in advanced and severe state, and 35 out of 46 patients were admitted for emergency and 7 cases died of tuberculosis soon after admission. In the remaining cases, anti-tuberculosis agents were effective, however, the incidence of dropout cases was much higher. How to improve compliance of these cases to treatment is one of the most difficult but important problem in present tuberculosis control.