Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiologia Clinica
Volume 22, Issue 6, 2004, Pages 315-318

Tuberculosis in immigrants: Clinical and epidemiological differences as compared to the native population (1999-2002) [Tuberculosis en inmigrantes: Diferencias clinicoepidemiológicas con la población autóctona (1999-2002)] (Article)

Ramos J.M.* , Masiá M. , Rodríguez J.C. , Padilla I. , Soler M.J. , Gutiérrez F.
  • a Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hosp. General Universitario de Elche, Alicante, Spain, Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hosp. General Universitario de Elche, Camí de L'Almazara, 11, 03203 Elche, Alicante, Spain
  • b Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hosp. General Universitario de Elche, Alicante, Spain
  • c Seccion de Microbiologia Clinica, Hosp. General Universitario de Elche, Alicante, Spain
  • d Sección de Neumología, Hosp. General Universitario de Elche, Alicante, Spain
  • e Sección de Neumología, Hosp. General Universitario de Elche, Alicante, Spain
  • f Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hosp. General Universitario de Elche, Alicante, Spain

Abstract

BACKGROUND. Tuberculosis in immigrants is an emerging disease in industrialized countries. METHOD. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of culture-positive tuberculosis cases in the immigrant and native populations. RESULTS. One hundred and five cases of tuberculosis were observed; 22 cases (21%) were in immigrants. The 2002 incidence was 64.3 cases per 100 000 immigrants. Mean age of the affected immigrants was 28.5 years lower than that of the affected native population (p < 0.001). The rate of HIV coinfection was 9.1%. In 81.8% (18) of immigrants, presentation was exclusively pulmonary, a higher percentage than in the native population (59.2%) (p = 0.05). Loss to follow-up was more common among immigrants (35%) than among the native population (9.2%) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS. Tuberculosis in the immigrant population generally involves the lungs, appears in younger subjects and is a public heath problem because of the high rate of losses to follow-up.

Author Keywords

Loss to follow-up tuberculosis immigrants

Index Keywords

immigrant Human immunodeficiency virus infection follow up clinical feature human controlled study Mycobacterium tuberculosis Aged lung tuberculosis tuberculostatic agent male Spain female tuberculosis Incidence Article major clinical study adult isoniazid age ethambutol retrospective study rifampicin pyrazinamide bacterium culture
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-3142727074&doi=10.1157%2f13063041&partnerID=40&md5=6d275a6badb826aba5d6b1b10244c729
DOI: 10.1157/13063041
ISSN: 0213005X
Cited by: 36
Original Language: Spanish