Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 22, 2026

The MODS method for diagnosis of tuberculosis and multidrug resistant tuberculosis
Published on: August 11, 2008
Spatiotemporal Analysis of the Association Between Community Violence and Tuberculosis and Treatment Outcomes in
Ruitong Wang1, Geziel Dos Santos de Sousa2, Antonio Silva Lima Neto3
1Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Background:
Violence may be associated with tuberculosis (TB) burden through multiple pathways. We examined associations between homicide rates (a proxy for neighborhood violence) and TB-related outcomes in 114 bairros in Fortaleza, Brazil, from 2014 to 2023.
Methods:
We analyzed homicide rates, incidence of newly reported TB, and rates of TB with unsuccessful treatment outcomes. We assessed spatial autocorrelation and clusters using Moran's I and space-time scan statistics. Geographically weighted regression (GWR) and Bayesian spatial models assessed spatial and spatiotemporal associations.
Results:
Annual homicide rates ranged from 26.8-81.1 per 100,000. Newly reported TB incidence was 50-60 per 100,000 during 2015-2021 and 66.8 in 2023, while rate of TB with unsuccessful outcomes increased from 10.8 to 17.5. GWR models showed positive associations between cumulative homicide rates and cumulative incidence of newly reported TB (β>0.5, p<0.05) and rates of TB with unsuccessful outcomes (0<β<0.5, p<0.05) across all bairros. Bayesian models showed associations per one-SD increase in homicide rate with newly reported TB (RR=1.05, 95% CrI:1.02-1.08) and TB with unsuccessful outcomes (RR=1.11, 95% CrI:1.05-1.18).
Conclusions:
Higher homicide rates were spatially and spatiotemporally associated with higher TB burden. Violence may serve as an indicator of neighborhoods with elevated TB burden.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Pulmonary Tuberculosis I
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...
Pulmonary Tuberculosis II
Here is a detailed explanation of its pathophysiology:
Transmission: The process begins when a person inhales droplet nuclei containing M. tuberculosis. These are typically released into the air when an individual with pulmonary or...
Pulmonary Tuberculosis III
The first classification is based on the development of the disease, and it includes the following categories:
Pulmonary Tuberculosis IV
Several diagnostic approaches are used to detect TB. The conventional method is the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST), also known as the Mantoux test. However, this method has...
Pulmonary Tuberculosis V
Latent tuberculosis infection occurs when TB bacteria are present in a person's body, but are not causing illness or symptoms. It is not contagious, and preventive treatment is crucial to avoid the progression...
Tuberculosis

