Abstract

IDROVO, Alvaro Javier. Historical, social and epidemiological roots of tuberculosis in Bogotá, Colombia. Biomédica (Bogotá) [online]. 2004, vol.24, n.4, pp.356-365. ISSN 0120-4157.

Understanding the current epidemiologic dynamic of tuberculosis (TB) in any society requires a holistic approach. In the current paper, the history and behavior of the TB is summarized for Bogotá, Colombia. In prehispanic periods the occurrence of TB was low. During the Conquest and the Colony periods, a moderate increase of pulmonary and abdominal TB was observed. In the 1870s, a great increase in cases of pulmonary TB was associated with the accelerated urbanization process. Since the 1920s, the occurrence of pulmonary TB shifted to the status of an endemic disease. After 1920, its occurrence was relatively steady until the 1970s, when its occurence greatly decreased. More recently, however, an increase in case numbers has been observed. The occurrence of TB in each period is associated with clearly defined social and environmental phenomena.

Keywords : tuberculosis; agriculture; urbanization; industry; Colombia.

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