Tuberc Respir Dis.  1970 Mar;17(1):53-60. 10.4046/trd.1970.17.1.53.

A Survey on the Tuberculosis Patients and Their Families

• KMID: 2529136
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4046/trd.1970.17.1.53

Abstract

For the purpose of presenting infection patterns among the famiIies with tuberculosis patients througlr three generations, a survey of L 711 cases randomly selected from among the total number of 17, 124 TB cases aged 31 and over, registered at 9 health centres in Seoul, was carried out beginning the 11th of June, 1969. As the result of this survey, the foIIowing conclusions were obtained: 1) Total number of famiIies living with the respondents were 7,165, and 22. 1 % or the highest rate was shown by the respondents líving with 4 members of the famiIy. The avèrage size of their famiIies was 4. 2 in number excluding the patient himself. 2) Regarding the extent of pulmonary lesion among aII respondents, 35.4% were in the minimal stage, 37. 3%, moderately advanced, and 27.3%, far advanced according to NTA classification. The largest group was in the minimal stage with 39. 7% of aII the female cases. 3) Out of aII patients 36. 7% were bacteriologicaIIy positive with sputum examination. 4) Regarding the TB history rates among the family members through three generations, pulmonary TB was most prevalent among fathers with the rate of 6.3%, foIIowed by chiIdren with 5.3%, siblíngs with 3. 6%, and mothers with 3.4%. 5) Of the total famiIy members through three generations, excIuding the spouses of respondents, 2. 1 % had had a history of TB. The TB fatalíty rate was 61. 1 % as a whole which incIuded 90. 0% of the fathers, 84.4% of the mothers, 56.8% of the sibIings and 6. 7% of the chiIdren. 6) Of the total living famiIy members excluding the spouses of respondents, 3. 1% were suffering from TB at the time when this survey was conducted. Among them, 93.4% were under treatment: 95. 1% of chiIdren, the highest, and 70. 6% of fathers, the lowest. 7) Among aII spouses of the respondents, 11.1 % had or had had a history of TB, which incIuded 15. 7% in the male spouses and 9. 1 % in the female spouses. 8) Among spouses of the respondents, 3. 5% had suffered from TB. Of these, the fataIity and the recovery rates were both 48.3%, whiIe the fatality rate of the male spouses with TB was higher than that of the female spouses. 9) Of aII the spouses living with respondents, 8.6% were suffering from TB at the time when this survey was conducted. Among them, 97. 6% were getting chemotherapy and others were aII discontinued chemotherapy. 10) As for the time of onset of the disease, 51. 9% of the all married respondents and their spouses with pulmonary TB had contracted it after 15 years of marriage. 11) TB morbidity rate among aIl household contacts living with respondents were 5.5%, while, according to the relationship of contacts, 8.6% among their spouses and 7.2% among their parents. 12) It was observed that the detection rate of active pulmonary TB was 5.8% among household contacts of bacteriologically positive cases and 5.3% among the contacts of bacteriologically negative cases.