As part of a preventive program asylum seekers and refugees are screened for tuberculosis. Necessary treatments have to be administred in the accepting canton. Aim of this cohort study was to assess the way of diagnosis and the outcome of treatment in 64 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis and positive culture in the Canton of Berne between 1993 and 1997. Results existed for 62 of them (96,9%). 34 cases of tuberculosis were discovered by screening and 23 more than 6 months afterwards. 87,1% of all cases were treated for more than 6 months. Among patients with unfavourable outcome four disappeared, three were transferred out. Efficacy of screening for tuberculosis depends also on follow-up during treatment which took place in the Canton of Berne. A strict organisation like the one applied in Berne or directly controlled treatment are necessary to warrant curative treatment. © Verlag Hans Huber, 2000.

Asylum seekers tuberculosis Outcome Treatment prevention

refugee mass screening Follow-Up Studies follow up human Refugees middle aged statistics Aged Cross-Sectional Studies cross-sectional study Humans lung tuberculosis tuberculostatic agent Antitubercular Agents male Adolescent Tuberculosis, Pulmonary preschool child Treatment Outcome female Child, Preschool Incidence Article Drug Therapy, Combination adult drug combination Switzerland Child