Research Note
Epidemiology
Tuberculosis patients hospitalized in the Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Lambaréné, Gabon—a retrospective observational study

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Abstract

Epidemiological data on tuberculosis in Central Africa are limited. We performed a retrospective observational study on clinical characteristics of 719 hospitalized tuberculosis patients in Lambaréné, Gabon. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infection rate was high (34%) and in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in HIV-positive patients (10% versus 2%). Long-term information on patient outcome was limited; however, from 2008 to 2011, loss to follow up was noted in 28% of cases. Our data illustrate the high burden of TB in Gabon, where loss to follow up and emerging drug resistance are important problems for which comprehensive data are still lacking.

Keywords

Central Africa
drug resistance
Gabon
human immunodeficiency virus
tuberculosis

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Editor: D. Raoult

Article published online: 27 May 2013