Epidemiology of tuberculosis in Estonia 1991-2003 with special regard to extrapulmonary tuberculosis and delay in diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis

Abstract

The study focuses on the analysis of the incidence and distribution of cases of extrapulmonary tuberculosis by age, gender, site and bacteriological confirmation in Estonia 1991–2000, a period that reflected an increasing incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis. The study estimates that the length of the patient delay in Southern Estonia exceeded that found in former studies, thus the duration of HSD may be considered optimal. Male gender and rural residence were the risk factors for prolonged patient delay. Smear negativity and absence of cough among the symptoms, referring to an atypical course or less extensive forms of pulmonary TB, missed X-ray during the first visit, and patient’s age over 60 years were the risk factors for prolonged HSD.