Epidemiological profile of patients undergoing microbiological testing for tuberculosis at a tertiary hospital in the Jazan region, Saudi Arabia: A retrospective study

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious bacterial disease that primarily affects the lungs and other parts of the body. This study investigates the epidemiological profile of patients tested for TB at a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia Methods: The descriptive retrospective study examined the epidemiological profile of 1093 patients, who underwent TB testing at a tertiary hospital in Jazan from January 2020 to December 2022. Data on demographics, diagnoses, and test results were collected from hospital records. Results: Among the 1093 subjects, 59.4% were males, and 68% were Saudi. The mean age was 40.12 years. The test results showed positive TB results among 13.4 patients per 100 individuals. Non-Saudi nationalities were significantly associated with positive test results. Younger age groups had higher positivity rates, with a mean age of 34.83 ± 15.47 years for positive cases. TB positivity rate varied over the three years, peaking in 2021, with the highest positive results in June, October, and November. Conclusions: The higher TB positivity rate among non-Saudi individuals highlights the need for targeted screening and intervention efforts for migrant populations. Furthermore, the increased positivity in younger age groups suggests that additional focus on early detection in this demographic is essential.