Colombian ocular infectious epidemiology study (COIES): presumed ocular tuberculosis incidence and sociodemographic characterization, 2015-2020

PURPOSE: This study aims to describe the incidence and geographical distribution of presumed ocular tuberculosis (POTB) in Colombia between 2015 and 2020 based on the Colombian Ministry of Health and Social Protection data. METHODS: We conducted a claims-based study using the Integrated Social Protection Information System database from the Colombian Ministry of Health. We used the specific code of the International Classification of Diseases for Ocular Tuberculosis (A18.5) and tuberculosis from 2015 to 2020 to estimate the incidence and the demographic status of the disease in Colombia. We used STROBE guidelines. RESULTS: During the 6 years of study, the crude unadjusted incidence was 0.2 new cases of POTB in one million consulting patients and 55 new cases of POTB in 100,000 patients with TB showing a decreasing pattern of the disease. From the 28 new cases, the mean age of presentation was 41.4 years (SD ± 25.3) with a female predominance (60.7% of the cases). Distribution by age shows a higher proportion of cases in groups 15-19 (14%), 20-24 (11%), 55-59 (11%), and 60-64 (11%) years of age. The geographic analysis showed a higher number of cases in Andean region, followed by the Caribbean and Pacific regions. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study that determines the incidence of POTB in a developing country from Latin America. POTB incidence in Colombia is lower than the reported worldwide. It could be attributed to a low burden of Tuberculosis in Colombia, underdiagnosis, and a low rate of immigration from countries with a high burden of TB.