Emerging Infectious Diseases
Volume 8, Issue 7, 2002, Pages 679-684

Persistent high incidence of tuberculosis in immigrants in a low-incidence country (Article) (Open Access)

Lillebaek T.* , Andersen A.B. , Dirksen A. , Smith E. , Skovgaard L.T. , Kok-Jensen A.
  • a Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark, International Reference Laboratory of Mycobacteriology, Statens Serum Institut, National Institute for Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases and Congenital Disorders, Denmark, Statens Serum Institut, International Reference Laboratory of Mycobacteriology, Artillerivej 5, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark
  • b Rigsïhospitalet (National Hospital), Copenhagen, Denmark
  • c Gentofte University Hospital, Hellerup, Denmark
  • d Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • e University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • f Gentofte University Hospital, Hellerup, Denmark

Abstract

Immigration from areas of high incidence is thought to have fueled the resurgence of tuberculosis (TB) in areas of low incidence. To reduce the risk of disease in low-incidence areas, the main countermeasure has been the screening of immigrants on arrival. This measure is based on the assumption of a prompt decline in the incidence of TB in immigrants during their first few years of residence in a country with low overall incidence. We have documented that this assumption is not true for 619 Somali immigrants reported in Denmark as having TB. The annual incidence of TB declined only gradually during the first 7 years of residence, from an initial 2,000 per 100,000 to 700 per 100,000. The decline was described by an exponential function with a half-time of 5.7 (95% confidence interval 4.0 to 9.7) years. This finding seriously challenges the adequacy of the customary practice of screening solely on arrival.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

Denmark Somalia controlled study Mycobacterium tuberculosis major clinical study immigrant retrospective study mass screening Incidence Article mortality human infection risk lung tuberculosis
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0036311078&doi=10.3201%2feid0807.010482&partnerID=40&md5=24a72d95cfcf0ff7f92c29ff103314d9
DOI: 10.3201/eid0807.010482
ISSN: 10806040
Cited by: 142
Original Language: English