Abstract
SETTING
P J Twomey Hospital, National Tuberculosis Programme, Fiji.
OBJECTIVES
To review the trend in numbers of tuberculosis (TB) cases registered each year from 1950 to 2010 at P J Twomey Hospital, Fiji's largest TB treatment centre and central TB unit, and to consider trends in the context of key TB control events in Fiji.
DESIGN
Descriptive study of data from medical records and TB registers, including age, sex, ethnicity, TB diagnosis and smear result.
RESULTS
Between 1950 and 2010, 14 616 cases were registered at P J Twomey Hospital. Of these, 58% were male, 70% were indigenous Fijians (i-taukei) and 64% were aged 15-49 years. The caseload dropped sharply in the 1960s, and has fallen steadily since 1990. Smear results were available for the majority of cases (91%). Between 1950 and 1985, smear-positive cases accounted for 19% of cases overall; this increased to 41% after 1985 following laboratory training. The numbers of sputum smear-positive cases recorded each year has been increasing in the last decade.
CONCLUSION
There have been marked changes in TB caseload over the last 60 years at Fiji's largest TB treatment centre. The recent increase in smear-positive cases while total TB cases have been falling needs further evaluation.
