Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde
Volume 61, Issue 14-15, 2005, Pages 1023-1031

Tuberculosis screening in asylum seekers in Belgium, 1999-2003 [Opsporing van longtuberculose bij asielzoekers in België, 1999-2003] (Review)

Aerts A.* , Vande Gucht V. , Vansand V. , Wanlin M. , Honinckx M. , Schandevyl W. , Sergysels R.
  • a Vlaamse Vereniging voor Respiratoire Gezondheidszorg en Tuberculosebestrijding (VRGT), Brüssel, Belgium, Vlaamse Vereniging voor Respiratoire Gezondheidszorg en Tuberculosebestrijding, Eendrachtstraat 56, 1050 Brüssel, Belgium
  • b Vlaamse Vereniging voor Respiratoire Gezondheidszorg en Tuberculosebestrijding (VRGT), Brüssel, Belgium
  • c Vlaamse Vereniging voor Respiratoire Gezondheidszorg en Tuberculosebestrijding (VRGT), Brüssel, Belgium
  • d Fonds des Affections Respiratoires (FARES), Bruxelles, Belgium
  • e Federaal Agentschap voor de Opvang van Asielzoekers (FEDASIL), Brüssel, Belgium
  • f Vlaamse Vereniging voor Respiratoire Gezondheidszorg en Tuberculosebestrijding (VRGT), Brüssel, Belgium
  • g Fonds des Affections Respiratoires (FARES), Bruxelles, Belgium

Abstract

Asylum seekers in low incidence countries have a higher risk for tuberculosis than the general population. Therefore asylum seekers in Belgium are screened for tuberculosis upon entry as well as periodically, every six months during their first two years of stay. The tuberculosis detection rate upon entry in Belgium amounted to 313 per 100.000 persons screened between 1999 and 2003. The screening coverage gradually increased to 95.5% in 2003. The periodic screening detected less tuberculosis patients, but reached a detection rate of 120-240/100.000, which is above the 50-100/100.000 cut off rate for performing active screening. More frequently than tuberculosis, asylum seekers presented with lesions of previously poorly treated or untreated, now inactive tuberculosis: these were found in 1% of all entering asylum seekers. The follow-up of tuberculosis treatment of asylum seekers remains a problem in our country: 15 to 30% of all asylum seekers with tuberculosis did not comply with their full treatment scheme. Even though the coverage of the tuberculosis screening in entering asylum seekers is optimal, the active detection for tuberculosis is only useful when coupled to a promptly administered and fully completed treatment scheme. Expulsion before the end of treatment is one of the causes for the high defaulter rate in asylum seekers under tuberculosis treatment. A national arrangement to avoid this is needed. Persons with lung lesions of inactive tuberculosis have a significantly higher risk to develop active tuberculosis and should be offered treatment for their fibrotic lesions.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

bacterium detection tuberculosis Review high risk population Belgium Incidence screening follow up infection prevention human migration
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-23844545582&partnerID=40&md5=c8dd8c752790b583d2df9b89faaa2f77
ISSN: 0371683X
Cited by: 6
Original Language: Dutch