[Personal experience in the treatment of tuberculosis in patients in war areas]

In the four-year period (1991-1995), 96 tuberculosis patients from the war areas of former Yugoslavia were treated in the Clinic for Lung Diseases of Military Medical Academy, that makes 31% of total number of sick and treated for tuberculosis-309 (100%). In group I (patients from war areas) there were 45 cases of cavernous pulmonary tuberculosis (47%), 28 bilateral (29%), 16 pleurisy (16.7%) and 6 cases of extensive pulmonary tuberculosis (5.1%). Among 213 patients (100%) from group II (patients from FR Yugoslavia), 81 patients had cavernous pulmonary tuberculosis (38%), 49 patients had bilateral (23%), 33 patients had pleurisy (15.5%) and 6 patients had extensive pulmonary tuberculosis (2.8%). In group I the diagnosis was bacteriologically and/or histopathologically proved in 94.8% cases: by finding of acid-resistant bacilli in sputum and other biological materials in 69 patients (72%), by positive Löwenstein's cultures in 73 patients (76%) and by histopathological result of tuberculosis inflammation in 34 patients (35.4%). In group II tuberculosis was bacteriologically and/or histopathologically proved in 134 patients (63%) by acid-resistant bacilli in sputum and other biological materials, in 141 patient (66%) by positive Löwenstein's culture and in 71 patient by positive histopathological results. Pulmonary tuberculosis in war areas is characterized by greater frequency of severe clinical forms (cavernous, bilateral and extensive) and by high direct bacillarity.