THE IMPACT OF THE RISK FACTORS ON THE INCIDENCE OF TUBERCULOSIS IN CHIȘINĂU

Objectives. Tuberculosis control is a priority of the healthcare system of the Republic of Moldova and the National Tuberculosis Control Program has transposed the objectives of the End TB strategy. The purpose of the study was to assess the impact of risk factors on the incidence of tuberculosis in Chișinău. Material and methods. A retrospective, descriptive, study was conducted that evaluated the particularities of 380 patients with new cases of tuberculosis, diagnosed during 2020 in Chișinău. Results. Within the group of the socio-economic factors, predominated social vulnerability in two thirds of patients and the very low level of school education in every tenth case. Epidemiological risk factors were dominated by hard-to-reach characteristics (homelessness and migrants) as well as contact with patients with tuberculosis. From the category of medical-biological factors, co-infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus, harmful habits (alcoholism and drug addiction) predominated. Positive at microbiological examinations was every fifth patient, parenchymal destruction in both lungs was established in every second patient and with both lungs affected in every third case. The administered treatment was standardized, in two phases, for the new case type and resulted in therapeutic success in 71.1%, death in 12.1% and lost to follow-up or failed the treatment 10.8% of cases. Conclusions. The impact on the incidence of tuberculosis in Chișinău was caused by socio-economic risk factors, the particularities of the hard-to-reach groups, harmful habits, which were reflected on the high rate of the destructive forms and the suboptimal therapeutic outcome. It is recommended: to organize active detection, taking into account the structure of the groups with high risk for tuberculosis that predominates in Chișinău; to widely use the patient-centered methods and to implement the multimedia technologies to ensure the therapeutic compliance