Aim: To evaluate the knowledge of tuberculosis transmission and effect of TB on University and Polytechnic
undergraduates managed for tuberculosis (TB) in a treatment centre in Imo Sate, Nigeria.
Setting: Federal Medical Centre Owerri; Eastern Nigeria.
Methods: This was a descriptive cross sectional study done from August 2011-July 2013. Fifty-eight eligible
undergraduates across Imo state who were on DOTS at the FMC Owerri were enrolled. Questions were asked on how TB
infection can be transmitted from a patient to someone who doesn't have TB and factors that facilitate TB transmission.
Discussions were held on individual basis between the patients, the care givers and parents/guardian on the various
effects of TB on patient's career and psychosocial life; including patients' financial difficulties and progression in
academic activities. Information collected were documented and analyzed.
Results: Of the 415 patients treated for TB during the study, fifty-eight (14%) were undergraduates across the state; 28
males and 30 females with M: F ratio of 1:1.07. Five (8.6%) had TB/HIV co-infection. Awareness on mode of
transmission of tuberculosis was found to be 47 (81%) among the undergradutes treated for tuberculosis. It was found
that the patients had better awareness on mode of transmission of HIV 56(96%) than of TB transmission 47(81%).
Twenty-eight (48.3%) were living ≥ 3 in a room while ten (17.2%) had their career completely stopped. Psychosocial
disorders were common in the subjects. Significant proportion of the subjects' parent/guardian had their income reduced.
Conclusion: Tuberculosis poses an enormous burden on the students in tertiary institutions in Imo state with a
significant number of them stopping their career or having it unnecessarily prolonged. A holistic care of patients in this
category should be ensured to ensure their career is not affected by this illness. We also add that more awareness needs to
be created on the mode of transmission of TB to enable us check further spread.