The Characteristic of Tuberculosis Patients in Jakarta 2011 Based on Nutritional Status, History of Immunodeficiencies, History of Tuberculosis, and Source of Infection at Home

Abstract

Our study’s aim is to determine the Tuberculosis (TB) infection source in Jakarta to decrease its
prevalence. This cross sectional study lasted 4 months involving 109 TB patients. Subjects
should be diagnosed as primary lung TB patients. Questionnaire was used as this study’s tool,
comprising questions as follows: patient’s identity and 4 main questions relating to Body Mass
Index (BMI), TB history, history of immunodeficiencies, and TB infection source existence at
home. From 109 TB patients, only 35 persons (32.1%) have BMI problem. Only 2 persons
(1.8%) have all factors supposedly linked to TB prevalence. Other patients showed varied results
on combination of 2 factors (e.g. BMI and immune disease), ranging from 1.8% to 11.9%.We
also found that 15 persons (13.8%) have normal BMI, no history of TB, no immune disease, and
no infection source at home. Bad nutritional status is the TB patients’ main characteristic in
Jakarta 2011.