Tuberculosis is spread to people through inhalation of minute flakes of protein that bears living tubercle bacilli in the air. This study investigated the prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis among household members of pulmonary tuberculosis patients. Two hundred sputa from 96 males and 104 females between ages 10 and 50 years were collected from symptomatic household members of pulmonary tuberculosis patients. The samples were examined for the presence of acid fast bacilli using Ziehl Neelsen staining technique and cultured on Lowenstein-Jenson medium for the isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Sputa culture recorded a total prevalence rate of 8.0% (3.5% males and 4.5% females). Total prevalence rate of 5.5% was recorded in Ziehl Neelsen staining (2.5% males and 3.0% females). Thus, 31.2% of culture positive sputa remained undetected by smear staining. The prevalence rate recorded in sputa culture was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that recorded for Ziehl-Neelson staining. No significant increase (p>0.05) in prevalence was recorded between gender groups and across age ranges respectively. An unacceptably high rate of tuberculosis infection occurs among the household members of Tuberculosis patients. More of public enlightenment crusades on the mode of Tuberculosis transmission are urgently needed to curb the spread of tuberculosis to household members.
Impact Factor
2022: 6.012
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