Connecticut Medicine
Volume 72, Issue 7, 2008, Pages 405-409

Latent tuberculosis among Latino migrant farmworkers in Connecticut (Article)

Trapé-Cardoso M.* , Subaran S. , Bracker A. , Sapiain E. , Gould B.
  • a University of Connecticut Health Center, School of Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Farmington, CT, United States, Department of Clinical Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Building #4 at The Exchange, 270 Farmington Ave, Farmington, CT 06032-6210, United States
  • b University of Connecticut, School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, United States
  • c University of Connecticut Health Center, School of Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Farmington, CT, United States
  • d Connecticut Council on Occupational Safety and Health, Newington, CT, United States
  • e University of Connecticut Health Center, School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Farmington, CT, United States

Abstract

Study Objective: It is estimated that the prevalence rate of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) for the United States general population is less than 5%. The prevalence of LTBI among Connecticut migrant workers has not been reported. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of a positive tuberculin skin test (TST), a potential measure of LTBI in migrant workers, at one Connecticut farm. Methods: A two-step standardized TST was performed on farmworkers recruited in a migrant clinic setting. Those with negative results on the first-step were offered the second. Workers with positive results were referred to community health centers for assessment and examined by a physician investigator. Results: Seventy-nine male workers were recruited from a population of approximately 200. Of these, 57 consented to the first-step TST, and 26% tested positive. Over 96% of the 57 tested workers were from Mexico. None had symptoms or signs of active tuberculosis. Conclusion: This study suggests that a high percentage of asymptomatic Connecticut Latino migrant farmworkers have LTBI. This finding has public health implications for TB control strategies in the state.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

diagnostic agent human middle aged statistics Connecticut Agriculture Mycobacterium tuberculosis Time Factors Hispanic Americans United States Humans lung tuberculosis Hispanic Adolescent male Tuberculosis, Pulmonary tuberculosis pilot study prevalence isolation and purification Article tuberculin test adult migration Transients and Migrants Pilot Projects pathophysiology time tuberculin
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-50449091356&partnerID=40&md5=826233924930658902b111f656c4b040
ISSN: 00106178
Cited by: 5
Original Language: English