Influencing Factors on Mycobacterium tuberculosis that Causes Tuberculosis (TB) in Benghazi: Environmental and Behavioral Factors

Latifa Abdel-Hafid Jwieli, Heba Gweili El Majbri, Hameda Ali Mohamed Naser El-Moghrabi, Nadia Ali Elramli, Hadir Gawili, Faitor Abdel-Malek Faitor

Abstract: Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the causative agent of TB. There are two types of TB; pulmonary TB and extrapulmonary TB. Ignorance, poverty, overcrowding, poor hygiene, especially during the war and economic depression, malnutrition, smoking, and drug addiction are the major factors, and the primary sources to increase of TB rate. Libya is one of the developed countries that are suffering from this serious disease. In this research paper, TB patients' data were collected in the period of 2018, 2019 and 2020 from the Statistical Department of Quefia Chest (Respiratory Diseases) Hospital in Benghazi, and the total number of patients was determined. The factors that are leading to the occurrence of TB were studied through a questionnaire that includes social and demographic information, and other factors. The total number of patients was 510 cases, and most of them are males, unemployed, smokers, and those with low educational levels.

Keywords: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Pulmonary tuberculosis, Extrapulmonary tuberculosis, Acid - fast bacilli