Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
Volume 60, Issue 3, 2006, Pages 285-289

Clinical characteristics of tuberculosis in North Korean refugees (Article) (Open Access)

Choi C.-M. , Jeung W.-K. , Kang C.-I. , Kim D.-H. , Kim Y.-K. , Heo S.-T. , Kim H.-J.*
  • a Department of Internal Medicine, Armed Forces Capital Hospital, South Korea
  • b Department of Radiology, Armed Forces Capital Hospital, South Korea
  • c Department of Internal Medicine, Armed Forces Capital Hospital, South Korea
  • d Department of Internal Medicine, Armed Forces Capital Hospital, South Korea
  • e Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, South Korea
  • f Division of Infectious Diseases, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, South Korea
  • g Korean Institute of Tuberculosis, Seoul, South Korea, Korean Institute of Tuberculosis, 14 WooMyeonDong, Seochogu Seoul 137-140, South Korea

Abstract

Background: North Korea's economic and public health problems began in the early 1990s as a result of the gradual loss of economic support from its communist allies, combined with an inordinate number of natural disasters. The decline in public health has increased the incidence of tuberculosis in North Koreans and refugees. This study investigated tuberculosis situation in North Korean refugees in order to prepare for the future impact of tuberculosis control in Korea Material and Methods: From 2001 to 2005, tuberculosis patients among North Korean refugees who were diagnosed before or after arriving in South Korea, based on the official records of OO hospital, were enrolled in this study. The demographic and clinical data of the cases were evaluated retrospectively. Results: A total of 42 TB cases were reviewed during the study period Of these, 37 (88.1%) cases were pulmonary TB. based on the cases identified among the number of North Korean refugees' arriving each year, the annual incidence of pulmonary TB were 900 per 100,000 in 2004, 700 in 2003, The number of smear-positive patients was 20 (47.6%) and the number of culture-positive patients was 18 (42.9%). Of the M. tuberculosis isolates, 2 cases were found to be susceptible to all anti-TB drugs available, 4 were resistant to isoniazid, and 3 were multi-drug resistant. Conclusion: The prevalence of pulmonary TB in North Korean Refugees is high. In addition, North Korean refugees suffer from more severe tuberculosis in bacteriological and radiological aspects.

Author Keywords

North Korean refugees tuberculosis Multi-drug resistant

Index Keywords

human Mycobacterium tuberculosis tuberculosis control bacterium isolate refugee isoniazid North Korea prevalence demography Incidence Article smear clinical feature drug sensitivity multidrug resistance public health lung tuberculosis tuberculostatic agent
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-33745431729&doi=10.4046%2ftrd.2006.60.3.285&partnerID=40&md5=a74c734c07c6a311a1ef81c85c9d2326
DOI: 10.4046/trd.2006.60.3.285
ISSN: 17383536
Cited by: 3
Original Language: Korean