Abstract: Objective  To understand the tuberculosis (TB) epidemic situation, to evaluate the implementation of Xinjiang TB control programme, and to develop scientific TB control programme.  Methods  According to the implementation regulation of 5th national TB epidemiology survey, totally 22 TB epidemiology survey points (survey point) were selected by stratified cluster sampling method. Of the 22 survey points, 6 located in urban area, 7 in town and 9 in rural area. The ratio of sample population to the whole population in Xinjiang was 1∶417. Overall 52 361 people were selected, among which 31 081 should be investigated and 29 834 were actually investigated, the investigation rate was 95.99% which met the requirement of epidemiology survey.  Results  The standardized pre-valence rate of active pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in the population above 15 years of age was 1526.12/100 000, standardized prevalence rate of smear positive PTB was 196.41/100 000, and 433.44/100 000 for bacteriologically positive. The prevalence in male (1673.72/100 000) was significantly higher than female (1372.70/100 000) (χ²=15.89, P<0.001). The standardized prevalence rate was 1817.32/100 000 in village area 1727.62/100 000 in town and 600.80/100 000 in urban area, and that in village area was much higher than urban area (χ²=32.77, P<0.001). The standardized prevalence rate was 1919.77/100 000 in southern Xinjiang, 1043.24/100 000 in northern Xinjiang and 720.90/100 000 in eastern Xinjiang, and that in southern Xinjiang was significantly higher than that in northern and eastern Xinjiang (χ²=41.56 and 35.93, both P<0.001). The standardized prevalence rate was 1964.26/100 000 in Uygur nationality and 1244.11/100 000 in other minority nationalities and 612.38/100 000 in Han nationality, that in Uygur was significantly higher than the other two (χ²=29.64 and 83.29, both P<0.001). The overall public awareness rate of TB was only 47.60%（70 998/149 170）.   Conclusion  The epidemic of TB is still serious in Xinjiang. The epidemic is higher in rural area than urban area, and is also higher in Uygur nationality than other minority and Han nationality, and the public awareness on TB needs to be improved.

Key words: Tuberculosis, pulmonary/epidemiology, Prevalence, Sampling studies, Xinjiang