None of the patients had pulmonary tuberculosis disease before. The patients were bacteriologicaly and histopatologically examined and history of pulmonary tuberculosis was surveyed by 17 questions. Questionnaire forms were included that their complaints and education levels, opportunity to visit and periods elapsed till diagnosis and treatment was stared. And we evaluated the factors effecting this period. Distribution of treatment periods are shown on Figure 3.
Tuberculosis progresses insidiously during the initiation period.
It takes time to see the first symptoms of the disease. Cough is a basic symptom and at the same time it's the most important way of contamination. The delay in diagnosis and treatment also causes disease progression. Senyigit et al. Other patients could not visit a physician because of factors depending on the patients themselves or other conditions.