Tuberculosis Screening Before Migration from High-Incidence to Low-Incidence Countries

Prevalence of active TB in migrants increased with increasing TB prevalence in the country of origin; negligible forward transmission was identified after migration.

Migrants make up the majority of new TB cases in low-incidence TB countries. In a pilot program, investigators screened >500,000 migrants from 15 high-incidence TB countries between 2006 and 2012. Applicants 11 years and older requesting a >6-month stay in the U.K. underwent chest radiography before entry; when the radiograph suggested TB, they received sputum testing, and culture when available. Subsequent TB cases (clinically or culture confirmed) among those who tested negative for TB and migrated to the U.K. were identified. Mean follow-up was 2.45 years.

In screened migrants, the estimated incidence of all forms of TB was 147 per 100,000 person-years before U.K. entry; the estimated incidence of bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB …

Reviewing Author

Mary E. Wilson, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardOneHealthTrust (formerly Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics, and Policy); Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Editorial BoardsJournal of Travel Medicine

Mary E. Wilson, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardOneHealthTrust (formerly Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics, and Policy); Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Editorial BoardsJournal of Travel Medicine

Tuberculosis Screening Before Migration from High-Incidence to Low-Incidence Countries

Topics

Reviewing Author