SUMMARY

Retreatment is indicated in tuberculosis (TB) patients if they fail or default from initial

treatment or relapse after initial treatment success. TB retreatment in Nigeria grew from

2,395 in 2002 to 8,787 in 2011. Adamawa state alone from 2002 – 2012, recorded an average

of 177 retreatment cases per year. Retreated patients transmit TB including potentially drug

resistant-TB, waste drugs and incur extra cost to TB Control Programme. We investigated

retreatment determinants in smear positive patients, age ≥15 years, taking first line anti-TB

drugs (FLADs), in Adamawa state from 4th quarter 2012 to 2nd quarter 2013.

Case-control study conducted. Cases, pulmonary TB (PTB) patients, on retreatment with

FLADs, and with pretreatment smear positive result. Controls, PTB patients, with

pretreatment smear positive result and converted to smear negative in 5th month while on the

initial FLADs, and in whom there is no default, failure or relapse. Sociodemographic,

knowledge and attitude, treatment adherence and disease severity factors obtained using pre-

tested questionnaires through physical interview and data abstraction from TB registers. Data

cleaned and analysed using Epi Info version 3.4.3 at 5% alpha level of significance and 95%

confidence. Odds ratio (OR) used to compare association. Ethical clearance obtained from the

state Research Ethics Committee (Ref.No S/MOH/1131/I/24).

Of 243 patients studied (81 cases, 162 controls), mean age 35.2    11.7 years (cases 37.8

10.6; controls 33.9    12.0), 70.4% young adults 20 – 40 years (cases 71.6%; controls 69.8%),

69.1% males (cases 79.0%; controls 64.2%), 59.3% married (cases 56.8%; controls 60.5%),

and 46.1% attained secondary education (cases 44.4%; controls 46.9%).

vi

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1.    Background information

Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic infectious disease caused by any pathogenic member of

Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC).1,2      The most common of MTC is