[Influence of seasonal and environmental factors on the incidence of tuberculosis].

The seasonal fluctuations of the incidence of respiratory tuberculosis were studied among 3205 new cases aged above 18 years, registered in the Voronezh Region in 1998-2000. The study of the seasonal fluctuations by the dates of filling in notices about a patient with the diagnosis of active tuberculosis established for the first time in his/her life revealed no regularities. A procedure has been proposed for studying the seasonal fluctuation in the development of tuberculosis by the period the early clinical symptoms of the disease occurred. Its highest incidence was registered in winter months. Climatic factors (relative humidity, ambient air temperature, wind velocity) and atmospheric pollution (with dust, nitric oxide, nitric dioxide, carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide), were found to affect the incidence of tuberculosis. It is advisable to use the findings to determine the time of prophylactic measures.