Determination of the Frequency of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Among 799 Suspected Tuberculosis Patients in the Population of District Okara, Punjab
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23889934Keywords:
Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Gene expert MTB/RIF, tuberculosis, frequency, Okara, Punjab, PakistanAbstract
Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health challenge in Pakistan, particularly in high-burden districts such as Okara, Punjab. Rapid molecular diagnostics like Gene expert MTB/RIF have improved case detection, yet region-specific epidemiological data remain limited. This study aimed to determine the frequency of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) among suspected TB patients in District Okara, Punjab, and to assess associations with demographic factors.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 799 suspected tuberculosis patients presenting to diagnostic facilities in District Okara, Punjab. Sputum samples were analyzed using the Gene expert MTB/RIF assay. Demographic data including age and gender were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS, with frequency distributions and chi-square tests applied to determine associations between demographic variables and TB detection. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Among 799 participants, females constituted 50.6% (n=394) and males 49.4% (n=385). The 41–60 year age group was the largest (34.0%), followed by 21–40 years (27.5%). Gene expert detected MTB in 22.1% (n=172) of suspected cases. TB detection showed no statistically significant association with gender (p > 0.05). However, a significant association was observed between age group and TB detection (p < 0.05), with positivity increasing from 15.4% in the 21–40 year group to 33.1% among those aged >60 years.
Conclusion: The frequency of MTB among suspected TB patients in District Okara was 22.1%, with detection significantly associated with increasing age. Gender was not associated with TB positivity. These findings support the continued use of Gene expert for rapid case detection and highlight older adults as a priority group for targeted screening and diagnostic interventions in this high-burden setting.
