Abstract: Objective To study the cause of retreated smear-posistive cases with pulmonary tuberculosis, and to provide the measure of control to reduce retreated smear-posistive cases. Methods The data of 179 retreated smear-positive cases from 1993 to 2004 were analysed retrospectively. Results Of 179 retreated smear- positive cases, their average age was 38.1 years old, the ratio of male to female was 2.3:1, ethnologic ratio was 1.7:1. The ratio of cases whose range of pathological changes included four lung fields was 50.8% . The retreated cases were 46.4% at the total number of cases, in which 41.9% cases were treated irregularly more than one month at initial treatment, the initial treatment of 3.9% smear-positive cases was failure. 7.8% smear-negative cases changed into smear-positive cases during the treatment or after the treatment. Conclusion Retreated smear-positive cases were caused by irregular therapy, irrational treatment regimen, drug resistance. We should decrease and cut off epidemical origin, improve the quality of DOTS management, develop the sputum culture, and strength health education to accomplish the aim of tuberculosis control.

Key words: Pulmonary tuberculosis/prevention and control, Kalamay city