The case finding through health screening of all refugees, which include a chest x-ray examination for persons older than 15 years of age, is demonstrated by way of example of Munich for 2015. The cases are presented as the number of patients with open vs closed tuberculosis. With a total of 107 cases of open tuberculosis, we determine a total incidence of 362 per 100.000 refugees. For the main countries of origin, separate incidences are calculated. These results are generally higher than the country-specific incidences reported by the WHO in 2014. The statutory health assessment for asylum-seekers is, if carried out consistently, an effective instrument to find cases of tuberculosis early. Hereby, patients with suspected tuberculosis can be immediately isolated in hospital for the time of further investigation or else be subject to follow-up examinations later on. The currently presented, rather generous indication of treatment by the working diagnosis "closed tuberculosis of the lung" remains to be discussed. The question of manifestation of time-delayed tuberculosis disease in immigrants must be pursued regarding the perspective mentioned above as well as the possibility of additional detection of primary latent tuberculosis infection within the scope of early refugee health assessment.

Countries of origin Tuberculosis incidence Screening examination Migrants tuberculosis

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