Risk factors for recurrence of pulmonary tuberculosis in properly treated patientsand declared healed

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Published Mar 10, 2026
https://doi.org/10.62438/tunismed.v104i01.6097
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Vol. 104 No. 01 (2026): Tunis Med Jan 2026

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Emna Ben Jemia
Department of Pneumology, Charles Nicolles Hospital, Tunis, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis,University of Tunis El Manar, 1001,Tunisia
Sara Trimech
Department of Pneumology, Charles Nicolles Hospital, Tunis, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis,University of Tunis El Manar, 1001,Tunisia
Hend Ouertani
Department of Pneumology, Charles Nicolles Hospital, Tunis, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis,University of Tunis El Manar, 1001,Tunisia
Salsabil Rejaibi
Department of Preventive and Community Medicine of Faculty of Medicine of Tunis,University of El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
Jihen Ben Amar
Department of Pneumology, Charles Nicolles Hospital, Tunis, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis,University of Tunis El Manar, 1001,Tunisia
Haifa Zaibi
Department of Pneumology, Charles Nicolles Hospital, Tunis, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis,University of Tunis El Manar, 1001,Tunisia

Abstract

Despite the national tuberculosis control program in Tunisia, and the efforts made by the health authorities, a relapse-free cure for pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) remains elusive and not always guaranteed.  This study aimed to identify risk factors for pulmonary tuberculosis recurrence among adequately treated patients who had been declared healed.


Methods :  We collected records of patients treated for the first episode of TBin the pulmonologydepartment of Charles Nicolle Hospital of Tunis between 2013 and 2021. Every patient had atleast one year follow-upafter the end of treatment. Two groups were identified: patients with TB recurrence (G1) and patients without TBrecurrence (G0).


Results: We analyzed data of 140 patients treated for TB, and 12 patients had a TB recurrence (G1: 8.6%). G1 patients were significantly older (45 years vs 42 years, p=0.013). There was no significant difference between groups in terms of gender-ratio(p>0.05), tobacco intoxication (p>0.05), substance abuse (p>0.05),nor comorbidities (p>0.05). However, G1 patients had a more frequent history of incarceration(p<0.001). Time to consult and time to bacteriological confirmation of TB didn’t differ between groups. Evolution was characterized by a slower clinical improvement (p=0.006) and a longer time of bacilloscopic negativity in G1 (p=0.048). Multivariate analysis showed that the delay in clinical improvement beyond 30 days (OR=9.79; 95% CI=1.77–54.05; p=0.009) and the delay in bacilloscopic negativity (OR=4.93; 95% CI=1.06–22.92; p=0.042),were independent risk  ..( abstract truncated at 250 words).

Keywords:

Tuberculosis, recurrence, relapse, risk factor

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Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Author Biography

Sara Trimech, Department of Pneumology, Charles Nicolles Hospital, Tunis, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis,University of Tunis El Manar, 1001,Tunisia

third year pneumology resident

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