Spatial Epidemiology of tuberculosis in Ardabil Province: based on Geographical Information System

Background: Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that causes more than three million deaths annually worldwide. Aim: The present study was designed to distribution and of high-risk regions by using of GIS. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was determined the distribution of all tuberculosis patients in Ardabil Province 2007 - 2018.All patient’s data was collected from Central Diseases Control (CDC) of Ardabil University of Medical Sciences.ArcMap-10.4.1, Moran Index and IDW Interpolation were used to analyse this distribution and its relationship with the contributing factors. Results: A total of 1619 cases of tuberculosis had been reported that 52% female and 48% male. The mean incidence rate of the disease was 13 per 100000. The incidence rate was higher in the northern regions of the province compared to its southern regions. Assessments based on the Moran index showed a positive spatial autocorrelation between tuberculosis and location and the disease distribution was in cluster form rather than random. The center and north of Ardabil province were identified as the two hot spots of TB incidence. Conclusions: The main factors potentially contributing to the increased incidence of TB in these regions including the moderate climate with a relative air stagnation in the north of the province, i.e. the areas neighbouring Azerbaijan Republic, with the constant commute of travellers through the border and the relatively poor and dense immigrant population in the suburbs of Ardabil as the provincial capital