European Respiratory Journal
Volume 52, Issue 1, 2018

Screening for tuberculosis in migrants and visitors from high-incidence settings: Present and future perspectives (Review)

Dobler C.C.* , Fox G.J. , Douglas P. , Viney K.A. , Khan F.A. , Temesgen Z. , Marais B.J.
  • a Mayo Clinic Center for Tuberculosis, Rochester, MN, United States, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, 431 Glebe Point Road, Glebe, NSW 2037, Australia
  • b Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, 431 Glebe Point Road, Glebe, NSW 2037, Australia
  • c International Organization for Migration (IOM), Geneva, Switzerland
  • d Dept of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
  • e Respiratory Epidemiology and Clinical Research Unit, Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada, Depts of Medicine and Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
  • f Mayo Clinic Center for Tuberculosis, Rochester, MN, United States
  • g Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity (MBI), University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

Abstract

In most settings with a low incidence of tuberculosis (TB), foreign-born people make up the majority of TB cases, but the distribution of the TB risk among different migrant populations is often poorly quantified. In addition, screening practices for TB disease and latent TB infection (LTBI) vary widely. Addressing the risk of TB in international migrants is an essential component of TB prevention and care efforts in low-incidence countries, and strategies to systematically screen for, diagnose, treat and prevent TB among this group contribute to national and global TB elimination goals. This review provides an overview and critical assessment of TB screening practices that are focused on migrants and visitors from high to low TB incidence countries, including pre-migration screening and post-migration follow-up of those deemed to be at an increased risk of developing TB. We focus mainly on migrants who enter the destination country via application for a long-stay visa, as well as asylum seekers and refugees, but briefly consider issues related to short-term visitors and those with long-duration multiple-entry visas. Issues related to the screening of children and screening for LTBI are also explored. Copyright ©ERS 2018.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

refugee sputum smear mass screening follow up human Refugees diagnostic accuracy Internationality interferon gamma release assay priority journal international cooperation procedures asylum seeker Humans migrant latent tuberculosis tuberculosis Review risk benefit analysis high risk population polymerase chain reaction Incidence tuberculin test migration infection risk thorax radiography Transients and Migrants Physical Examination cost effectiveness analysis
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85050085301&doi=10.1183%2f13993003.00591-2018&partnerID=40&md5=f5e31036a80084dee46143d01003512f
DOI: 10.1183/13993003.00591-2018
ISSN: 09031936
Cited by: 5
Original Language: English