American Journal of Public Health
Volume 105, Issue 7, 2015, Pages 1432-1438

Postarrival tuberculosis screening of high-risk immigrants at a local health department (Article)

Nuzzo J.B.* , Golub J.E. , Chaulk P. , Shah M.
  • a School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States, UPMC Center for Health Security, 621 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, United States
  • b School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
  • c School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States, Baltimore City Health Department, Baltimore, United States
  • d School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States

Abstract

Objectives. We sought to characterize postimmigration tuberculosis (TB) care for Class B immigrants and refugees at the Baltimore City Health Department TB program (BCHD), and to determine the proportion of immigrants with active TB or latent TB infection (LTBI) in this high-risk population. Methods. We conducted a retrospective chart review of Class B immigrants and refugees who reported to the BCHD for postimmigration TB evaluation from 2010 to 2012. Results. We reviewed the clinical records of 153 Class B immigrants; 4% were diagnosed with active TB and 53% were diagnosed with LTBI. Fifty percent of active TB cases were culture positive, and 67% were asymptomatic; 100% received and completed active TB therapy at the BCHD. Among those diagnosed with LTBI, 87% initiated LTBI therapy and 91% completed treatment. Conclusions. The high prevalence of active TB and LTBI found among Class B immigrants underscore the importance for postarrival TB screening. The absence of reported symptoms among the majority of active cases identified during this study suggest that reliance on symptom-based screening protocols to prompt sputa testing may be inadequate for identifying active TB among this high-risk group.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

refugee mass screening human Refugees middle aged statistics and numerical data United States Young Adult Humans migrant Adolescent male Emigrants and Immigrants Tuberculosis, Pulmonary latent tuberculosis female risk factor Risk Factors Retrospective Studies adult Baltimore retrospective study
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84930832956&doi=10.2105%2fAJPH.2014.302287&partnerID=40&md5=cac507fcf19b7fd7daadea783cdc78b5
DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302287
ISSN: 00900036
Cited by: 9
Original Language: English