Magnitude and treatment outcomes of pulmonary tuberculosis patients in a poor urban slum of Abia State, Nigeria

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases worldwide, with a disproportionate number of those affected living in slum areas. This study assessed the magnitude of pulmonary cases among TB patients in an urban slum in southeast Nigeria, including their demographic and clinical characteristics and any associations with treatment outcomes. The study revealed a high proportion of pulmonary TB, mostly smear-positive TB with HIV-associated outcomes. This underlines the need to ensure early TB diagnosis and improved access to HIV care for HIV co-infected patients in this setting.