INT J TUBERC LUNG DIS 11(12):1339–1344

OBJECTIVE: 1) To determine the trend of sputum smear conversion rates at the 2-month follow-up of new smear-positive tuberculosis (TB) patients; and 2) to compare con-version rates in cured TB patients and treatment failures. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study based on TB regis-ters from all 80 diagnostic and treatment centres from 1995 to 2003. The conversion rate was defined as the number of negative results divided by the number of smear-positive patients for whom the 2-month follow-up examination was completed. RESULTS: The 2-month follow-up completion rate was 92.1%; it increased from 86.3 % in 1996 to 94.3 % in 2003. The conversion rate was 82.9%, increasing from 76.3 % in 1995 to 87.9 % in 1997 and falling to 80.3% in 2003. The cure rate was higher among patients who were smear-negative at the 2-month follow-up (77.3%) CONCLUSION: The conversion rate was satisfying, but had declined since 1997, which may be a matter of con-cern. This could be due to patient characteristics such as associated conditions (human immunodeficiency virus, malnutrition) or to drug management (ineffective admin-istration of drugs even under directly observed treatment, insufficient dosages, resistance). Thorough research is needed to elucidate this negative trend. KEY WORDS: conversion; 2-month follow-up; smear-positive; tuberculosis; Burkina Fas