Prevalence and risk factors of latent tuberculosis infection among household contacts of tuberculosis patients

A cross-sectional study

Bibliographic Data

ID22076265
AuthorsPengxiang Huang (Heilongjiang Center for Tuberculosis Control and Prevention), Tianli Ma (Heilongjiang Center for Tuberculosis Control and Prevention), Bingqin Dai (Heilongjiang Center for Tuberculosis Control and Prevention), Guoyu Huang (0000-0003-2277-2995, Heilongjiang Center for Tuberculosis Control and Prevention), Lili Su (0000-0003-3538-5679, Heilongjiang Center for Tuberculosis Control and Prevention), Shichao Shangguan (Heilongjiang Center for Tuberculosis Control and Prevention), Mingxiao Yao (Heilongjiang Center for Tuberculosis Control and Prevention), C Z Liu (Shandong Center for Disease Control and Prevention), Cuixiao Liu (Shandong University), Shengyang Zhang (Heilongjiang Center for Tuberculosis Control and Prevention)
Year2026
Volume14
Pages1820601-1820601
Publication date2026-05-14
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFrontiers in Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2296-2565 • E-ISSN: 2296-2565
PublisherFrontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fpubh.2026.1820601
PMID42221645
OpenAlexW7161145840
LanguageEN
References cited22

Background: Household contacts (HHCs) of tuberculosis patients are at higher risk for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). However, current knowledge regarding LTBI prevalence and risk factors among HHCs in Shandong Province, China remains limited. Objective: This study aims to determine the prevalence of LTBI among HHCs of tuberculosis patients and identify associated risk factors. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey among HHCs of tuberculosis patients in Shandong Province, China. LTBI prevalence was assessed using the tuberculin skin test (TST) and tuberculosis antigen-based skin test (TBST). Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors associated with infection. Results: A total of 5,772 HHCs of 1,657 tuberculosis patients were enrolled. The prevalence of LTBI among HHCs was 10.2% (95% CI: 9.424-10.985). In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, the infection rate increased in older age groups compared to the 0-14 age group. The highest adjusted odds ratio (aOR) was observed in the 45-59 age group (aOR = 3.761; 95% CI: 2.160-6.546). Living in multi-story buildings (aOR = 1.301; 95% CI: 1.024-1.651) and exposure to bacteriologically positive patients (aOR = 1.424; 95% CI: 1.066-1.903) were identified as potential risk factors for LTBI. In contrast, residing in a separate room within the same household was associated with a lower risk of infection compared to sharing the same room with the index patient (aOR = 0.608; 95% CI: 0.453-0.816). Conclusion: Households are high-risk settings for tuberculosis transmission. Therefore, it is necessary to intensify active contact screening at the household level to shorten the interval between tuberculosis diagnosis and contact tracing, thereby interrupting potential transmission chains within the community

Latent tuberculosis · Logistic regression · Odds ratio · Risk factor · Skin test · Tuberculin · Tuberculosis · Young adult · Infectious Diseases and Tuberculosis · Pneumonia and Respiratory Infections · Tuberculosis Research and Epidemiology

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