SETTING: Tuberculosis (TB) screening clinic. OBJECTIVE: To determine TB prevalence at entry, screening yield and incidence in immigrants on a TB health undertaking (TBU) who were selected for post-migration screening due to an abnormal chest radiograph (CXR) in Victoria, Australia, in the years 1996-2006. METHOD: Rates of notified TB calculated from linkage of a screening programme database with the Victorian TB database. RESULTS: Prevalence at entry (cases notified between arrival in Australia and 6 months after the screening registration date) was 505 per 100 000 population; yield at entry (prevalent cases detected by the screening programme) was 420/100 000, and incidence (cases notified between 6 and 12 months after screening registration date) was 160/100 000 person-years. Persons issued a TBU after applying from within Australia (on-shore) had a prevalence of 1876/100 000, seven-fold higher than those issued a TBU outside Australia (off-shore, 254/100 000). The combination of an abnormal CXR and a tuberculin skin test ≥ 15 mm carried a prevalence of notified TB of 2907/100 000. CONCLUSION: Selective post-migration screening can achieve a high yield of notified TB. © 2012 The Union.

Screening Immigration tuberculosis

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