The recent opening, close to the hospital of Saint-Loup, of an application centre for foreigners who ask for a status of refugee in Switzerland gave us the opportunity, over the last two years, to evaluate 79 patients with suspected tuberculosis. Of them 67% came from sub-Saharan Africa and 25% from Eastern Europe. A bacillary tuberculosis was found in 19 cases (24%), requiring immediate treatment and a respiratory isolation of a mean duration of 18 days. In addition, 11 cases (14%) had non-bacillary tuberculosis with negative sputum smear but positive culture. This new situation led us to implement a specific strategy of hospital hygiene.

[No Keywords available]

patient care Europe, Eastern Africa south of the Sahara refugee human Refugees Patient Isolation Eastern Europe ethnology Humans lung tuberculosis male Tuberculosis, Pulmonary female patient referral Referral and Consultation Article Retrospective Studies retrospective study Switzerland