Publication:
Free Text: Frequency of tuberculosis at autopsies in a large hospital in Zagreb, Croatia: a 10-year retrospective study.


abstract

AIM:

To assess the Frequency and forms of pulmonary tuberculosis at autopsy in a high-traffic hospital in the capital city of a country with a low tuberculosis incidence.

METHODS:

We performed a retrospective search of autopsy data from the period 2000 to 2009 at Sestre Milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia. We also examined patients' records and histological slides.

RESULTS:

Of 3479 autopsies, we identified 61 tuberculosis cases, corresponding to a frequency of 1.8%. Active tuberculosis was found in 33 cases (54%), 23 of which (70%) were male. Of the 33 active cases, 25 (76%) were clinically unrecognized and 19 (76%) of these were male.

CONCLUSION:

Clinically undiagnosed tuberculosis accounted for a substantial proportion of active tuberculosis cases diagnosed at autopsy. Autopsy data may be an important complement to epidemiological data on tuberculosis frequency.

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