TUBERCULOSIS IN THE COLOMBIAN-VENEZUELAN BORDER: GEOSPATIAL DISTRIBUTION

Abstract

The geospatial distribution of pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) morbidity in the municipality of Cúcuta in 2019 and 2020 was described by the Kulldorff method using the geographic location and reporting date of incident TB cases. The unit of analysis was the event reported to the National Epi-demiological Surveillance System (SIVIGILA). A total of 607 cases were identified in 392 neighborhoods distributed in ten communes. Most cases of pulmonary TB were reported in the northern commune, with the El Salado neighborhood being the most affected repeatedly. Incident cases of extrapulmonary TB did not show patterns of repetition in the distribution between spatial and temporal units. Strategies to mitigate and control the spread of pulmonary infection should prioritize the western region.