Screening for active tuberculosis in high-risk groups
METHODS: Retrospective, observational study carried out by the Tuberculosis Unit of the City of Barcelona from September 2009 to December 2012. All participants underwent chest X-ray and were screened for symptoms.
RESULTS: Of 5982 participants screened, 30 TB cases were detected (total prevalence 0.5%): 26 were pulmonary, 8 were smear-positive and 2 were resistant to multiple drugs. Directly observed treatment was advised for 19 patients (63%). TB prevalence in the recent immigrants group was significantly greater (1.77%) than in all other groups studied: economically disadvantaged individuals 0.30% (RR 5.9, 95%CI 2.30–15.14); DUs 0.62% (RR 2.05, 95%CI 0.91–4.64), non-recent immigrants 0.41% (RR 4.31, 95%CI 1.68–11.4); and all native-born individuals 0.41% (RR 4.33, 95%CI 1.71–10.92). The rate was much greater than the estimated prevalence for the general population of the city (∼20 cases/100 000 population).
CONCLUSIONS: In high-risk groups, active case finding can be used as a public health intervention to detect a large number of TB cases.
Keywords: active case finding; chest radiograph; drug users; homeless; immigrants; tuberculosis
Document Type: Research Article
Affiliations: 1: Special Program on Infectious Diseases, Tuberculosis Unit, Vall d'Hebrón-Drassanes, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebrón, Barcelona, 2: Directly Observed Treatment Unit, Serveis Clínics, Barcelona, 3: Epidemiology Service, Agencia de Salud Pública de Barcelona, Consorcio de Investigación Biomédica de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain
Publication date: 01 December 2014
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