A broad spectrum of infectious diseases is studied in vulnerable populations. However, ethical considerations of reporting research results that could increase stigmatization of socially marginalized and vulnerable populations are not often discussed in the medical literature, particularly not in the context of transmissible diseases. This article addresses ethical considerations that arose when one of us (J.M.A.) recently published the results of a study in Clinical Infectious Diseases that imply that undocumented persons are more likely to transmit tuberculosis than are documented foreign-born persons or persons born in the United States. These study results have the potential to further fuel the often fierce debate regarding undocumented immigrants in the United States. To our knowledge, such ethical considerations have not been discussed previously in the medical literature. © 2009 by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

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patient care immigrant publication social psychology clinical research molecular epidemiology public health service methodology Research Design Stereotyping human immigration ethics birthplace Biomedical Research medical society medical research medical ethics priority journal antibiotic agent United States Humans lung tuberculosis Emigrants and Immigrants medical documentation Review Disease Transmission, Infectious stigma Article disease transmission infection control antibiotic therapy migration