Management and outcome of TB suspects admitted to the medical wards of a central hospital in Malawi.
Friend, Jeremy H;
Mason, Shirin;
Harries, Anthony D;
Salaniponi, Felix M;
Neuhann, Florian;
(2005)
Management and outcome of TB suspects admitted to the medical wards of a central hospital in Malawi.
Tropical doctor, 35 (2).
pp. 93-95.
ISSN 0049-4755
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1258/0049475054037165
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In a study conducted in the medical wards of Lilongwe Central Hospital, Malawi, 84 (18%) of 470 medical admissions were TB suspects. Of these, 21 (25%) had the diagnosis confirmed; the median length of time between admission and starting anti-TB treatment was 10 days. Of the remaining TB suspects, 24 (29%) had another diagnosis made, principally pneumonia, and 39 (46%) had no diagnosis made, with half of these patients dying under investigation in hospital. Improved and more rapid ways of managing TB suspects need to be found.
