Movement of Drug-Resistant TB Across Borders

Outbreaks among Hmong refugees in the U.S. — and immigrants from the former Soviet Union in Germany — demonstrate the global reach of the problem.

TB prevalence and patterns of drug resistance vary widely by geographic region and by population. However, when individuals with TB migrate, they can alter the prevalence and resistance patterns in their new countries, as highlighted by two recent studies.

Between June 2004 and January 2005, 10,000 individuals immigrated to the U.S. from a Hmong refugee camp in Thailand. On entry into the country, 37 were found to have active TB, including 4 with multidrug-resistant (MDR) disease. Oeltmann and colleagues investigated TB prevalence and resistance among the 6000 refugees still awaiting emigration from Thailand. Standard screening measures identified 272 with TB (including 24 with MDR-TB). Enhanced screening (tuberculin skin testing; chest x-ra…

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

Movement of Drug-Resistant TB Across Borders

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Reviewing Author