Background: Tuberculosis
remains to be a major public health problem among the under developed world due
to delay in detection and treatment of patients with active TB. In Ethiopia,
case detection rate remains low compared with WHO target. Prolonged delay of
tuberculosis case detection may lead to disease that is more advanced, high
mortality, and continual transmission in the community. Therefore, we aimed to
assess the prevalence of smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis and its
associated factors among pulmonary tuberculosis suspects at Nigist Eleni Mohammed
memorial Hospital, Hossana, South Ethiopia. Method and Materials: A hospital
based cross sectional study was conducted at Nigist Eleni Mohammed Memorial
Hospital, South Ethiopia from May to June 2013. 186 consecutive pulmonary
tuberculosis suspects were included in the study from the hospital outpatient
department. Data on demographic and other risk factors were collected using
semi-structured questionnaire. Three sputum specimen samples were collected and
processed using the standard microbiological method to make sure
participants were smear positive. The data were entered into and
analyzed using SPSS Version-16 software. Bivariate and multivariate logistic
regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with smear positive
pulmonary tuberculosis. Result: Of the 186 suspected pulmonary tuberculosis
participants, smear positive acid fast bacilli were detected in 18 (9.7%) and
20 (10.8%) by direct and bleach concentrated Zeihl Neelson staining technique
respectively. Compared to age group of 15 - 30 there was lower risk of
pulmonary tuberculosis for those who were in age group of ≥45 years, [AOR = 0.04, 95% CI: (0.01, 0.36)]. Being male
[AOR = 6.56, 95% CI: (1.84, 23.34)], cough duration ≥ 2 weeks [AOR =
10.20, 95% CI: (1.16, 89.48)] and contact with known TB patient at home, [AOR =
5.81 (1.57, 22.31)] were found to have strong association with smear positive
pulmonary tuberculosis. Conclusion and recommendation: Higher proportion of
smear positivity was found by bleach concentrated technique than direct Zeihl
Neelson staining technique. However, case detection rate remains low.
Prevention and control of tuberculosis should focus on young age groups between
15 - 30 years. Sustainable health education using various Information Education
Communication (IEC) methods including local mass media, early case finding and
treatment are recommended to reduce the spread of the disease.