Postarrival Tuberculosis Screening of High-Risk Immigrants at a Local Health Department

Bibliographic Data

ID11024954
AuthorsJennifer B Nuzzo (0000-0002-7137-6625, Jennifer B. Nuzzo and Patrick Chaulk are with the School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Jennifer B. Nuzzo is also with the UPMC Center for Health Security, Baltimore. Jonathan E. Golub, Patrick Chaulk, and Maunank Shah are with the School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. Patrick Chaulk is also with the Baltimore City Health Department, Baltimore.), Jonathan E Golub (0000-0003-2398-3145, Jennifer B. Nuzzo and Patrick Chaulk are with the School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Jennifer B. Nuzzo is also with the UPMC Center for Health Security, Baltimore. Jonathan E. Golub, Patrick Chaulk, and Maunank Shah are with the School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. Patrick Chaulk is also with the Baltimore City Health Department, Baltimore.), Patrick Chaulk (Jennifer B. Nuzzo and Patrick Chaulk are with the School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Jennifer B. Nuzzo is also with the UPMC Center for Health Security, Baltimore. Jonathan E. Golub, Patrick Chaulk, and Maunank Shah are with the School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. Patrick Chaulk is also with the Baltimore City Health Department, Baltimore.), Maunank Shah (0000-0002-0979-2388, Jennifer B. Nuzzo and Patrick Chaulk are with the School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Jennifer B. Nuzzo is also with the UPMC Center for Health Security, Baltimore. Jonathan E. Golub, Patrick Chaulk, and Maunank Shah are with the School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. Patrick Chaulk is also with the Baltimore City Health Department, Baltimore.)
Year2015
Volume105
Issue7
Pages1432-1438
Publication date2015-07-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048
PublisherAmerican Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2105/ajph.2014.302287
PMID25602872
OpenAlexW2119620208
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited4

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

Active tuberculosis · Asymptomatic · Environmental health · Family medicine · Immigration · Latent tuberculosis · Mycobacterium tuberculosis · Pathology · Population · Refugee · Tuberculosis · Diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis · Infectious Diseases and Tuberculosis · Internal Medicine · Medicine · Tuberculosis Research and Epidemiology · Pediatrics

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