SynthesisJournal of epidemiology and global health2024
The Prevalence of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Infection in Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Journal of epidemiology and global health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection among healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC public health · 2026Pooled it
- The prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection among healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.IJID regions · 2026Article
- The Shifting Landscape of HIV-Tuberculosis Co-Infection in the MENA Region with a Focus on Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Epidemiological Analysis over Three Decades.Infectious diseases and therapy · 2026Article
- Epidemiological profile of patients undergoing microbiological testing for tuberculosis at a tertiary hospital in the Jazan region, Saudi Arabia: A retrospective study.New microbes and new infections · 2026Article
- Applying Multiple Analyses to Quantify Changes in the Global, Regional, and National Burden of Tuberculosis From 1990 to 2021 and the Forecast Until 2035.The Canadian journal of infectious diseases & medical microbiology = Journal canadien des maladies infectieuses et de la microbiologie medicale · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
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Abstract
The prevalence of Tuberculosis (TB) serves as a pivotal metric, reflecting the TB burden within a specific demographic. It quantifies the number of individuals affected by either active TB disease or latent TB (LTBI). Such data is crucial for assessing the efficacy of TB control interventions and determining the demand for diagnostic and treatment services. This study aims to consolidate data on TB infection prevalence in Saudi Arabia from existing literature. Additionally, we stratify this prevalence based on age, professional involvement in healthcare, gender, and region. Our search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases to determine relevant studies. The pooled prevalence of TB infection among the total population residing in Saudi Arabia was estimated using a random-effect meta-analysis approach and Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software. The protocol was registered in the PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews, No: CRD42023400984. We included 21 studies, 11 of which were pooled in the analysis. The overall prevalence was 17%.Regarding the specific population, we found that the prevalence of TB in Saudi Arabia was 9.8% and 26.7% in the general population and the healthcare workers, respectively. Stratifying by age, the highest prevalence was observed in individuals over 50 years (33.0%), while the lowest was in the 10-19 age group (6.4%). In terms of gender, men had a higher prevalence (12.0%) compared to women (9.4%). The prevalence of TB in Riyadh was 6.4%, and 3.6% in Mecca and Medina. Among healthcare workers, nurses and physicians had a prevalence of 14.7% and 15.0%, respectively. Our study found a TB prevalence of 17.0% in Saudi Arabia, higher than the worldwide average of 12.0%. Men had a higher prevalence than women, and healthcare workers had a relatively low prevalence compared to other countries. Age was a significant risk factor, with the highest prevalence in individuals above 50 years. Standardized protocols for screening and diagnosis and targeted interventions are needed to combat TB effectively in the country.
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