Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 36 in total

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  1. A report of the incidence of positive tuberculosis skin test reactors and the incidence of active Tuberculosis among school children in the Methodist schools, Kapit district, Sarawak, Malaysia
    Warren G
    Med J Malaya, 1965 Dec;20(2):123-5.
    PMID: 4221972
    Matched MeSH terms: Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiology*
  2. Fulltext AIDS-related opportunistic infections in Hospital Kuala Lumpur
    Nissapatorn V, Lee C, Quek KF, Abdullah KA
    Jpn J Infect Dis, 2003 Oct-Dec;56(5-6):187-92.
    PMID: 14695428
    We retrospectively reviewed 419 HIV/AIDS patients in Hospital Kuala Lumpur from 1994 to 2001. In the male group, the age range was 20-74, with a mean age 37 years, while in the female group it was 17-63, with a mean age of 33 years. With regard to age group, it was found that the preponderant age group was 25-34 years. The majority of male subjects were Chinese (52.5%), single (56.3%), and unemployed (55.1%), whereas the females were Malay (42.3%), married (79.5%), and non-laborer (64.1%). Also, both groups resided in Kuala Lumpur and had heterosexual contact as the leading cause of HIV transmission. More than half of the patients had CD4 cell counts of <200 cells/cumm. We found that the acquisition of HIV infection via intravenous drug use (IDU) was directly related to the incidence of tuberculosis infection (P < 0.05). Further analysis showed HIV-related tuberculosis with IDU was also dependently correlated with occupational status (unemployed) (P < 0.05). The four main AIDS-defining diseases include tuberculosis (48%), Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (13%), toxoplasmic encephalitis (11%), and cryptococcal meningitis (7%); in addition, 53% of these patients were found to have CD4 cell counts of less than 200 cells/cumm at the time of diagnosis.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiology
  3. Building a tuberculosis-free world: The Lancet Commission on tuberculosis
    Reid MJA, Arinaminpathy N, Bloom A, Bloom BR, Boehme C, Chaisson R, et al.
    Lancet, 2019 Mar 30;393(10178):1331-1384.
    PMID: 30904263 DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(19)30024-8
    Matched MeSH terms: Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiology
  4. Fulltext Case-finding for pulmonary tuberculosis in Penang
    Hooi LN
    Med J Malaysia, 1994 Sep;49(3):223-30.
    PMID: 7845270
    The process of case-finding was studied in 100 consecutive patients with pulmonary tuberculosis treated by the Chest Clinic, Penang Hospital. The median time from the onset of the illness until the initial medical consultation was two weeks (patient's delay). This delay was longer in males, patients with lower than secondary education and drug abusers. Only 47% of patients were put on treatment with a correct diagnosis within one month of the first consultation (doctor's delay). Almost all patients had at least one symptom suggestive of tuberculosis at presentation and the mean number of consultations before diagnosis was three. Patients who first visited government medical facilities had shorter doctor's delay than those who first saw private practitioners, and patients who first consulted a private practitioner were the least likely to be appropriately investigated by sputum examination and chest radiography. The median total delay was three months and at the time of diagnosis, 95% of patients had moderate or far advanced disease radiologically. In order to shorten doctor's delay, all medical practitioners, especially those in the private sector, should be made aware of the importance of early diagnosis and the proper management of tuberculosis. Health education campaigns for the public should also be undertaken to shorten patient's delay.
    Study site: Chest clinic, Hospital Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
    Matched MeSH terms: Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiology
  5. Causes of pleural exudates in a region with a high incidence of tuberculosis
    Liam CK, Lim KH, Wong CM
    Respirology, 2000 Mar;5(1):33-8.
    PMID: 10728729
    To define the causes of exudative pleural effusions in our region.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiology*
  6. Characteristics of HIV-infected tuberculosis patients in Kota Bharu Hospital, Kelantan from 1998 to 2001
    Mohammad Z, Naing NN
    Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 2004 Mar;35(1):140-3.
    PMID: 15272757
    To characterize the demographic profiles, clinical features, radiological patterns and outcomes of treatment of HIV-infected TB patients, a descriptive study was carried out on 149 HIV-infected TB cases diagnosed from 1998 through 2001 at Kota Bharu Hospital, Kelantan, Malaysia. The majority of the patients were males (94.6%), single (45.0%), ethnic Malay (94.0%) with a mean age of 34 years (standard deviation 7.8, range 18-76). The most common HIV transmission category was through injecting drug use (73.8%) and being the inmates or former inhabitants of drug rehabilitation centers and prisons were the commonest high-risk groups. One hundred and seventeen patients were diagnosed as having pulmonary TB, while about 20% were extra-pulmonary in type with 9 cases of milliary TB. The majority (45%) presented with cough symptoms while only 51% had a positive sputum smear. Fifty-five percent were found to have pulmonary lesions on chest x-ray, such as localized, milliary or diffuse pulmonary infiltrates, or opacities. Eight (5.4%) had pleural lesions while another 8 cases had hilar or mediastinal lymph node lesions. Overall, fifty-eight (38.9%) patients had died by the completion of data collection. The median weeks or survival from the time of starting TB treatment was 13.5 (range 1-56) and the majority of them (74%) died without completing the 6-month regime of treatment.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiology*
  7. Fulltext Contact screening and risk factors for TB among the household contact of children with active TB: a way to find source case and new TB cases
    Laghari M, Sulaiman SAS, Khan AH, Talpur BA, Bhatti Z, Memon N
    BMC Public Health, 2019 Sep 18;19(1):1274.
    PMID: 31533689 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-019-7597-0
    BACKGROUND: Source case investigation, for children with tuberculosis (TB), is conducted to establish the source of infection and to minimize the extent of on-going transmission from infectious persons in the community. The aim of the study was to evaluate the secondary TB cases and to investigate the risk factors in developing TB among the household contacts (HHC) of children with active TB.

    METHODS: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted where 443 caregivers, of 508 children with active TB receiving treatment, were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the risk factors for TB.

    RESULTS: A total of 2397 family members at the median of 5 persons were recorded. Of these, 223 (9.3%) were screened on symptoms basis and 35 (15.7%) of these contacts were diagnosed with TB. Multivariate analysis revealed HHC with TB (OR = 15.288, 95% CI: 5.378-43.457), HHC with smoking (OR = 7.094, 95% CI: 2.128-23.648), and contact of > 18 h with TB individual (OR = 4.681, 95% CI: 1.198-18.294) as statistically significant risk factors of TB among the HHC.

    CONCLUSION: With the current system of contact screening for TB, only 9.3% of all HHC were screened. The low rates of contacts screened are possibly a repercussion of the passive nature of the program, which mainly depend on distinctive clinical symptoms being experienced by the contacts. Strategies are required to certify adherence with contact screening among children with active TB and to critically consider the factors responsible for TB transmission.

    Matched MeSH terms: Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiology
  8. Fulltext Costs associated with tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment in Yemen for patients and public health services
    Othman GQ, Ibrahim MI, Raja'a YA
    East Mediterr Health J, 2012 Apr;18(4):393-8.
    PMID: 22768704
    This study determined the costs associated with tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and treatment for the public health services and patients in Sana'a, Yemen. Data were collected prospectively from 320 pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB patients (160 each) who were followed until completion of treatment. Direct medical and nonmedical costs and indirect costs were calculated. The proportionate cost to the patients for pulmonary TB and extrapulmonary TB was 76.1% arid 89.4% respectively of the total for treatment. The mean cost to patients for pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB treatment was US$ 108.4 and US$ 328.0 respectively. The mean cost per patient to the health services for pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB treatment was US$ 34.0 and US$ 38.8 respectively. For pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB, drug treatment represented 59.3% and 77.9% respectively of the total cost to the health services. The greatest proportionate cost to patients for pulmonary TB treatment was time away from work (67.5% of the total cost), and for extrapulmonary TB was laboratory and X-ray costs (55.5%) followed by transportation (28.6%).
    Matched MeSH terms: Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiology
  9. Delay in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients attending a university teaching hospital
    Liam CK, Tang BG
    Int J Tuberc Lung Dis, 1997 Aug;1(4):326-32.
    PMID: 9432388
    University Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiology
  10. Fulltext Delays in diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis in India: a systematic review
    Sreeramareddy CT, Qin ZZ, Satyanarayana S, Subbaraman R, Pai M
    Int J Tuberc Lung Dis, 2014 Mar;18(3):255-66.
    PMID: 24670558 DOI: 10.5588/ijtld.13.0585
    OBJECTIVE: To systematically review Indian literature on delays in tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and treatment.
    METHODS: We searched multiple sources for studies on delays in patients with pulmonary TB and those with chest symptoms. Studies were included if numeric data on any delay were reported. Patient delay was defined as the interval between onset of symptoms and the patient's first contact with a health care provider. Diagnostic delay was defined as the interval between the first consultation with a health care provider and diagnosis. Treatment delay was defined as the interval between diagnosis and initiation of anti-tuberculosis treatment. Total delay was defined as time interval from the onset of symptoms until treatment initiation.
    RESULTS: Among 541 potential citations identified, 23 studies met the inclusion criteria. Included studies used a variety of definitions for onset of symptoms and delays. Median estimates of patient, diagnostic and treatment delay were respectively 18.4 (IQR 14.3-27.0), 31.0 (IQR 24.5-35.4) and 2.5 days (IQR 1.9-3.6) for patients with TB and those with chest symptoms combined. The median total delay was 55.3 days (IQR 46.5-61.5). About 48% of all patients first consulted private providers; an average of 2.7 health care providers were consulted before diagnosis. Number and type of provider first consulted were the most important risk factors for delay.
    CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the need to develop novel strategies for reducing patient and diagnostic delays and engaging first-contact health care providers.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiology
  11. Fulltext Diabetes mellitus and its influence on sputum smear positivity at the 2nd month of treatment among pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: A case control study
    Shariff NM, Safian N
    Int J Mycobacteriol, 2015 Dec;4(4):323-9.
    PMID: 26964816 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmyco.2015.09.003
    OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: Many studies have suggested that sputum smear conversion after 2 months of antituberculosis treatment is an important determinant of treatment success and can be a predictor for relapse. The objective of this study is to determine the factors that influence sputum smear conversion after 2 months of treatment among pulmonary tuberculosis patients receiving treatment in the Institute of Respiratory Medicine in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
    METHODS: A total of 75 cases and 75 controls were interviewed, and their medical records were retrieved in order to extract the information needed. All analyses were conducted using SPSS version 17, and binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of sputum smear nonconversion.
    RESULTS: Results showed that the following factors were associated with sputum smear positivity after 2 months of intensive treatment: diabetes mellitus (p=.013, odds ratio [OR]=2.59, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.27-5.33), underweight body mass index (p=.025, OR=1.67, 95% CI 0.80-3.49), nonadherent to tuberculosis treatment (p=.024, OR=2.85, 95% CI 1.21-6.74), and previous history of tuberculosis (p=.043, OR=2.53, 95% CI 1.09-5.83). Multivariable analysis identified diabetes mellitus (p=.003, OR=4.01, 95% CI 1.61-9.96) as being independently associated with the risk of persistent sputum smear positivity after 2 months of intensive treatment.
    CONCLUSION: Based on the findings, identification of these factors is valuable in strengthening the management and treatment of tuberculosis in Malaysia in the future. This study emphasizes the importance of diabetes screening and integration of diabetic controls among tuberculosis patients in achieving better treatment outcome.
    KEYWORDS: Risk factors; Sputum smear nonconversion; Tuberculosis
    Matched MeSH terms: Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiology
  12. Fulltext Diagnostic delay among pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Sarawak, Malaysia: a cross-sectional study
    Chang CT, Esterman A
    Rural Remote Health, 2007 Apr-Jun;7(2):667.
    PMID: 17511524
    Delayed diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) can lead to an increased period of infectivity in the community, a delay in treatment and a severe form of the disease. The objective of this study was to determine the length of delay, and factors linking the delay from the onset of symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) until the commencement of treatment in Sarawak, Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiology*
  13. Fulltext Drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis
    Lim VK
    Med J Malaysia, 1993 Jun;48(2):97-8.
    PMID: 8350810
    Matched MeSH terms: Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiology
  14. Fulltext Effect of smoking on treatment outcome among tuberculosis patients in Malaysia; a multicenter study
    Khan AH, Sulaiman SAS, Hassali MA, Khan KU, Ming LC, Mateen O, et al.
    BMC Public Health, 2020 Jun 04;20(1):854.
    PMID: 32498682 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-08856-6
    BACKGROUND: Smoking plays a key role in the development of tuberculosis (TB) infection and is also a predictor of poor TB treatment prognosis and outcomes. The current study was conducted to determine the prevalence of smoking and to assess the effects of smoking on treatment outcomes among TB patients.

    METHODS: A multi-center retrospective study design was used to collect data from TB patients in four different states of Malaysia, namely Penang, Sabah, Sarawak, and Selangor. The study included medical records of TB patients admitted to the selected hospitals in the period from January 2006 to March 2009. Medical records with incomplete data were not included. Patient demographics and clinical data were collected using a validated data collection form.

    RESULTS: Of all patients with TB (9337), the prevalence of smokers was 4313 (46.2%). Among smokers, 3584 (83.1%) were associated with pulmonary TB, while 729 (16.9%) were associated with extrapulmonary TB. Male gender (OR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.30-1.58), Chinese ethnicity (OR = 1.23, 95% CI 1.02-1.49), Sarawak indigenous ethnicity (OR = 0.74, 95% CI 0.58-0.95), urban residents (OR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.33-1.61), employed individuals (OR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.09-1.34), alcoholics (OR = 4.91, 95% CI 4.04-5.96), drug abusers (OR = 7.43, 95% CI 5.70-9.60) and presence of co-morbid condition (OR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.16-1.40) all showed significant association with smoking habits. This study found that 3236 (75.0%) patients were successfully treated in the smokers' group, while 4004 (79.7%) patients were non-smokers. The proportion of deaths (6.6%, n = 283), defaulters (6.6%, n = 284) and treatment interruptions (4.7%, n = 204) was higher in the smokers' group.

    CONCLUSIONS: Smoking has a strong influence on TB and is a major barrier towards treatment success (OR = 0.76, 95% CI 0.69-0.84, p 

    Matched MeSH terms: Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiology
  15. Fulltext Genomic epidemiology of tuberculosis in eastern Malaysia: insights for strengthening public health responses
    Bainomugisa A, Meumann EM, Rajahram GS, Ong RT, Coin L, Paul DC, et al.
    Microb Genom, 2021 05;7(5).
    PMID: 33945455 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000573
    Tuberculosis is a leading public health priority in eastern Malaysia. Knowledge of the genomic epidemiology of tuberculosis can help tailor public health interventions. Our aims were to determine tuberculosis genomic epidemiology and characterize resistance mutations in the ethnically diverse city of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, located at the nexus of Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and Brunei. We used an archive of prospectively collected Mycobacterium tuberculosis samples paired with epidemiological data. We collected sputum and demographic data from consecutive consenting outpatients with pulmonary tuberculosis at the largest tuberculosis clinic from 2012 to 2014, and selected samples from tuberculosis inpatients from the tertiary referral centre during 2012-2014 and 2016-2017. Two hundred and eight M. tuberculosis sequences were available for analysis, representing 8 % of cases notified during the study periods. Whole-genome phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that most strains were lineage 1 (195/208, 93.8 %), with the remainder being lineages 2 (8/208, 3.8 %) or 4 (5/208, 2.4 %). Lineages or sub-lineages were not associated with patient ethnicity. The lineage 1 strains were diverse, with sub-lineage 1.2.1 being dominant (192, 98 %). Lineage 1.2.1.3 isolates were geographically most widely distributed. The greatest diversity occurred in a border town sub-district. The time to the most recent common ancestor for the three major lineage 1.2.1 clades was estimated to be the year 1966 (95 % HPD 1948-1976). An association was found between failure of culture conversion by week 8 of treatment and infection with lineage 2 (4/6, 67 %) compared with lineage 1 strains (4/83, 5 %) (P<0.001), supporting evidence of greater virulence of lineage 2 strains. Eleven potential transmission clusters (SNP difference ≤12) were identified; at least five included people living in different sub-districts. Some linked cases spanned the whole 4-year study period. One cluster involved a multidrug-resistant tuberculosis strain matching a drug-susceptible strain from 3 years earlier. Drug resistance mutations were uncommon, but revealed one phenotype-genotype mismatch in a genotypically multidrug-resistant isolate, and rare nonsense mutations within the katG gene in two isolates. Consistent with the regionally mobile population, M. tuberculosis strains in Kota Kinabalu were diverse, although several lineage 1 strains dominated and were locally well established. Transmission clusters - uncommonly identified, likely attributable to incomplete sampling - showed clustering occurring across the community, not confined to households or sub-districts. The findings indicate that public health priorities should include active case finding and early institution of tuberculosis management in mobile populations, while there is a need to upscale effective contact investigation beyond households to include other contacts within social networks.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiology
  16. Parasitic infections in Malaysian aborigines with pulmonary tuberculosis: a comparative cross-sectional study
    Wong WK, Mohd-Nor N, Noordin R, Foo PC, Mohamed Z, Haq JA, et al.
    Parasitol Res, 2019 Sep;118(9):2635-2642.
    PMID: 31363922 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-019-06406-7
    The geographical distribution of tuberculosis (TB) overlaps with various parasitic infections. Uncovering the characteristics of coinfecting parasites that potentially affect the host susceptibility to TB is pertinent as it may provide input to current TB therapeutic and prophylactic measures. The present study was aimed at examining the types of parasitic infections in TB patients and healthy TB contacts (HC) in Orang Asli, Malaysian aborigines, who dwelled in the co-endemic areas. Stool and serum samples were collected from Orang Asli who fulfilled the selection criteria and provided written informed consents. Selected parasitic infections in the two study groups were determined by stool examination and commercial serum antibody immunoassays. The prevalence of parasitic infections in TB and HC participants were 100% (n = 82) and 94.6% (n = 55) respectively. The parasitic infections comprised toxocariasis, trichuriasis, amoebiasis, toxoplasmosis, hookworm infection, ascariasis, strongyloidiasis, and brugian filariasis, in decreasing order of prevalence. Overall, helminth or protozoa infection did not show any significant association with the study groups. However, when the species of the parasite was considered, individuals exposed to trichuriasis and toxoplasmosis showed significant odds reduction (odds ratio (OR) 0.338; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.166, 0.688) and odds increment (OR 2.193; 95% CI 1.051, 4.576) to have active pulmonary TB, respectively. In conclusion, trichuriasis and toxoplasmosis may have distinct negative and positive associations respectively with the increase of host susceptibility to TB.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiology
  17. Pattern of first- and second-line drug resistance among pulmonary tuberculosis retreatment cases in Pakistan
    Javaid A, Hasan R, Zafar A, Chaudry MA, Qayyum S, Qadeer E, et al.
    Int J Tuberc Lung Dis, 2017 03 01;21(3):303-308.
    PMID: 28225340 DOI: 10.5588/ijtld.16.0444
    BACKGROUND: Drug resistance in general, and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in particular, threatens global tuberculosis (TB) control efforts. Population-based estimates of drug resistance are needed to develop strategies for controlling drug-resistant TB in Pakistan.

    OBJECTIVE: To obtain population-based data on Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug resistance in Pakistan.

    METHODS: To obtain drug resistance data, we conducted a population-based study of TB cases in all provinces of Pakistan. We performed culture and drug susceptibility testing on M. tuberculosis isolates from patients with a prior history of anti-tuberculosis treatment (retreatment cases) from all over the country.

    RESULTS: Of 544 isolates from previously treated cases, 289 (53.1%) were susceptible to all first-line drugs, 255 (46.9%) were resistant to at least one anti-tuberculosis drug and 132 (24.3%) were MDR-TB. Among MDR-TB isolates, 47.0% were ofloxacin (OFX) resistant. Extensively drug-resistant TB was found in two (0.4%) isolates.

    CONCLUSION: Prevalence of drug resistance in retreatment isolates was high. The alarmingly high prevalence of OFX resistance among MDR-TB isolates may threaten the success of efforts to control and treat MDR-TB.

    Matched MeSH terms: Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiology
  18. Pulmonary tuberculosis in a hospital setting: gender differences
    Nissapatorn V, Kuppusamy I, Sim BL, Fatt QK, Anuar AK
    Public Health, 2006 May;120(5):441-3.
    PMID: 16545406 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2005.11.005
    Matched MeSH terms: Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiology*
  19. Pulmonary tuberculosis in a rural area of Sarawak, Malaysia
    Yano K, Goto S, Sado M, Takeuchi M, Iguchi M
    Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 1974 Sep;5(3):417-23.
    PMID: 4215145
    Matched MeSH terms: Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiology*
  20. Fulltext Pulmonary tuberculosis in outpatients in Sabah, Malaysia: advanced disease but low incidence of HIV co-infection
    William T, Parameswaran U, Lee WK, Yeo TW, Anstey NM, Ralph AP
    BMC Infect Dis, 2015;15:32.
    PMID: 25636334 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-015-0758-6
    BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is generally well controlled in Malaysia, but remains an important problem in the nation's eastern states. In order to better understand factors contributing to high TB rates in the eastern state of Sabah, our aims were to describe characteristics of patients with TB at a large outpatient clinic, and determine the prevalence of HIV co-infection. Additionally, we sought to test sensitivity and specificity of the locally-available point-of-care HIV test kits.
    METHODS: We enrolled consenting adults with smear-positive pulmonary TB for a 2-year period at Luyang Clinic, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. Participants were questioned about ethnicity, smoking, prior TB, disease duration, symptoms and comorbidities. Chest radiographs were scored using a previously devised tool. HIV was tested after counselling using 2 point-of-care tests for each patient: the test routinely in use at the TB clinic (either Advanced Quality™ Rapid Anti-HIV 1&2, FACTS anti-HIV 1/2 RAPID or HIV (1 + 2) Antibody Colloidal Gold), and a comparator test (Abbott Determine™ HIV-1/2, Inverness Medical). Positive tests were confirmed by enzyme immunoassay (EIA), particle agglutination and line immunoassay.
    RESULTS: 176 participants were enrolled; 59 (33.5%) were non-Malaysians and 104 (59.1%) were male. Smoking rates were high (81/104 males, 77.9%), most had cavitary disease (51/145, 64.8%), and 81/176 (46.0%) had haemoptysis. The median period of symptoms prior to treatment onset was 8 weeks. Diabetes was present in 12. People with diabetes or other comorbidities had less severe TB, suggesting different healthcare seeking behaviours in this group. All participants consented to HIV testing: three (1.7%) were positive according to Determine™ and EIA, but one of these tested negative on the point-of-care test available at the clinic (Advanced Quality™ Rapid Anti-HIV 1&2). The low number of positive tests and changes in locally-available test type meant that accurate estimates of sensitivity and specificity were not possible.
    CONCLUSION: Patients had advanced disease at diagnosis, long diagnostic delays, low HIV co-infection rates, high smoking rates among males, and migrants may be over-represented. These findings provide important insights to guide local TB control efforts. Caution is required in using some point-of-care HIV tests, and ongoing quality control measures are of major importance.
    Study site: Klinik Kesihatan Luyang (Tuberculosis Clinic), Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia,
    Matched MeSH terms: Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiology*
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