[Tuberculosis prevalence in municipality bus drivers in our dispensary region]

Our study was designed to determine pulmonary tuberculosis rate in municipality bus drivers in our dispensary region and to determine whether or not the job is a risk factor for the disease.

Micro chest X-rays were taken of municipality bus drivers working in our region. The ones who had suspicious radiology were re-invited to dispensary; their health background was questioned and advanced investigation was performed.

Totally 498 (97%) of 512 bus drivers working in our region came to our dispensary for the study survey. All of the attendants were male and between 19 and 57. In radiologic assessment, among 12 cases were suspected to have tuberculosis. Two of them had ARB smear positive tuberculosis and, five had inactive tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis prevalence in bus drivers in our dispensary region was 0.4% (2/498). This value corresponded to 400 in 100.000 populations. Examining the statistics tuberculosis prevalence in our region was only 20 in 100.000 in 2006. This meant that, pulmonary tuberculosis is seen 20 times greater among municipality bus drivers. Taking this conclusion into consideration, we think that being a public bus driver may be accepted as a risk factor for tuberculosis.