Mass miniature X-ray screening for tuberculosis among immigrants entering Switzerland.

Among 50,784 new immigrants entering Vaud Country, Switzerland, between 1988 and 1990, 674 abnormalities were discovered by mass miniature X-ray screening on arrival (424/43,803 foreign workers, 238/4512 refugees and 12/2469 foreign students). 2043 refugees had no radiological examination. After clinical examination, tuberculosis (TB) was considered the likely diagnosis in 256 cases, of which 132 were offered an antituberculous treatment according to the current recommendations of the Swiss Association against TB. 34 of the subjects were smear- or culture-positive (5% of all radiological abnormalities, 0.08% of all immigrants). Only 46 subjects had any clinical complaint. Among foreign workers, 0.18% were carriers of tuberculous lesions needing a treatment; the proportion was 1.22% among refugees. By ethnic origin, the proportion is highest among Africans (1.43%), followed by Turks (1.04%), subjects from the Middle East (0.62%), Yugoslavia (0.55%), Portugal and Spain (0.14%). Mass miniature X-ray screening for TB in immigrants from high prevalence countries entering Switzerland still detects a majority of asymptomatic cases and seems an easy means of preventing the transmission of TB to members of the same community.     

Screening for latent tuberculosis infection among undocumented immigrants in Swiss healthcare centres; a descriptive exploratory study

Background  

Migration is one of the major causes of tuberculosis in developed countries. Undocumented patients are usually not screened at the border and are not covered by a health insurance increasing their risk of developing the disease unnoticed. Urban health centres could help identify this population at risk. The objective of this study is to assess the prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and adherence to preventive treatment in a population of undocumented immigrant patients.     

Screening for tuberculosis and latent tuberculosis infection among undocumented immigrants at an unspecialised health service unit.

SETTING: Practical or cost-effective strategies to identify undocumented immigrants with latent tuberculosis infection and to deliver treatment for latent TB infection are still unavailable. OBJECTIVES: To compare completion rates of screening procedures for TB infection and disease among undocumented immigrants at specialised (TB) and unspecialised health services in Italy. DESIGN: A TB unit (TBU) and an unspecialised health service unit for migrants (MHCU) served as recruitment sites for recent undocumented immigrants from TB endemic areas. The screening included a symptom questionnaire, a tuberculin skin test and a chest X-ray. RESULTS: Of 1318 eligible subjects, 1232 (93.4%) accepted the screening. Screening was completed by 993 (80.6%) individuals overall, 86.5% and 71.4% at the TBU and MHCU services, respectively. In a multivariate analysis model, the only variable associated with an increased probability of completing screening was being enrolled at the TBU site (OR 2.5, 95%CI 1.8-3.5; P < 0.001). Three hundred and ninety-two subjects (39.4%) had a TST test of > or = 10 mm. Eight cases of active tuberculosis were detected, with a calculated prevalence of disease of 650/100,000. CONCLUSIONS: Undocumented immigrants to Italy can be screened for TB at an unspecialised health service unit, although not as efficiently as at a specialised TB unit.     

惠州市外来人口涂阳肺结核患者治疗效果分析

目的　总结外来人口肺结核病的管理及治疗效果。为将外来人口纳入区域结核病控制规划提供科学依据。方法 对门诊登记确诊的外来人口肺结核病人提供免费诊治和实施DOTS管理。结果 2 0 0 1— 2 0 0 2年对 4 5 0例暂住半年以上的外来人口的涂阳肺结核患者进行治疗。初治涂阳治愈率 90 .9% ,复治涂阳治愈率 85 %,接近常住户口肺结核病人的治疗效果。结论 加强外来人口结核病的管治力度 ,进一步完善各项管理措施 ,可取到与常住人口同样的治疗效果。     

Assessing the performance of overseas tuberculosis screening programs: a study among US-bound immigrants in Vietnam

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis cases in foreign-born persons account for more than 50% of all tuberculosis cases in the United States. The Institute of Medicine has recommended enhancing overseas screening as one measure to support tuberculosis elimination efforts. We assessed the ability of overseas tuberculosis screening (chest radiograph followed by 3 acid-fast bacilli sputum smears for persons with abnormal chest radiographs [suggestive of active tuberculosis]) to detect pulmonary tuberculosis disease among US-bound immigrants with abnormal chest radiographs. METHODS: During October 1998 to October 1999, 14 098 US immigrant visa applicants were screened overseas in Vietnam. Adult applicants with abnormal chest radiographs were enrolled to assess screening test characteristics among this group using mycobacterial culture as the gold standard for pulmonary tuberculosis disease diagnosis. Risk factors for pulmonary tuberculosis disease were also evaluated. RESULTS: Among 1179 adult applicants with abnormal chest radiographs, 82 (7.0%) had positive acid-fast bacilli smear results, and 183 (15.5%) had positive Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture results (pulmonary tuberculosis disease). The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of serial acid-fast bacilli screening among this group were 34.4% (63/183), 98.1% (977/996), 76.8% (63/82), and 89.1% (977/1097), respectively. Risk factors for pulmonary tuberculosis disease included younger age (18-34 years), no history of tuberculosis or treatment, reported symptoms, and cavitation or consolidation on chest radiograph. CONCLUSIONS: The ability of current overseas screening to detect tuberculosis among immigrants with abnormal chest radiographs is low. Improved diagnostic methods, enhanced screening measures, and postmigration follow-up are essential to control tuberculosis among immigrants and support US and global tuberculosis elimination.     

Ambulatory treatment of multidrug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis patients at a chest clinic.

SETTING: Retrospective cohort analysis of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) patients treated at a Korean National Tuberculosis Association out-patient chest clinic. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate treatment outcomes and contributing factors. DESIGN: A review of clinical records of 1011 pulmonary MDR-TB patients retreated with individualised regimens selected on the basis of previous chemotherapy and drug susceptibility testing from 1988 to 1996. RESULTS: The patients (mean age 38.6 years) had resistant organisms to an average of 3.7 drugs and were retreated with an average of 4.2 drugs which they had previously not taken and to which they were susceptible. Treatment outcomes were as follows: 487 cases (48.2%) cured, 82 (8.1%) failed, 394 (39.0%) defaulted, 45 (4.5%) transferred out, and three (0.3%) died. The treatment efficacy among those who completed chemotherapy was 85.6%. In a multivariate analysis favourable response was significantly associated with a greater number of newly prescribed drugs in the regimen to which they were susceptible (odds ratio [OR] 3.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3-9.5), younger age (OR 2.0; 95%CI 1.1-3.9), and a lower number of drugs to which they were resistant (OR 1.8; 95%CI 1.1-3.1). The case fatality rate, including the follow-up period, was 1.7% (17 cases). CONCLUSION: The cure rate of MDR-TB patients treated at an out-patient clinic was 48.2% due to a high defaulter rate (39.0%). However, 85.6% of those who completed treatment were cured.     

Screening for pulmonary tuberculosis among immigrants: estimated effect on severity of disease and duration of infectiousness.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the effect of tuberculosis screening among recent immigrants on the severity of disease at diagnosis and on the duration of the infectious period. DESIGN: Comparison of pulmonary tuberculosis cases among immigrants detected through screening with those detected passively, using information from the Netherlands Tuberculosis Register. PARTICIPANTS: Immigrants from highly endemic countries diagnosed with culture-positive pulmonary tuberculosis within 30 months after arrival in The Netherlands, 1993 through 1998. OUTCOME MEASURES: Severity of disease (smear-positive disease, hospitalisation, case fatality) and duration of symptomatic period. RESULTS: A total of 882 bacteriologically confirmed tuberculosis patients from highly endemic countries had been in The Netherlands less than 30 months, and were detected through screening (454), or passively (368). Compared with patients detected passively, patients found through screening were less often sputum smear-positive (OR 0.5, 95%CI 0.3-0.8) and less often hospitalised (OR 0.2, 95%CI 0.1-0.2). Those detected through screening had a shorter symptomatic period. Screening is estimated to have reduced the infectious period by approximately 33%. CONCLUSION: The screening programme detected cases earlier, resulting in fewer hospital admissions, shorter duration of symptoms and therefore probably reduced tuberculosis transmission.     

浙江省温州市流动人口涂阳肺结核项目管理效果分析

目的　评价温州市流动人口涂阳肺结核病项目管理效果;为结核病控制规划提供科学依据。方法 对门诊登记确诊的流动人口涂阳肺结核病人提供免费查治和实施DOTS管理。结果 流动人口初治涂阳治愈率86.0%,复治涂阳治愈率76.0%;与全省常住人口初治治愈率85.6%一致,但是明显高于全省流动人口治愈率平均值61.5%。结论 温州市加强流动人口结核病控制项目管理效果显著,DOTS策略得到扩展。     

浙江省温州市流动人口涂阳肺结核项目管理效果分析

目的评价温州市流动人口涂阳肺结核病项目管理效果;为结核病控制规划提供科学依据.方法对门诊登记确诊的流动人口涂阳肺结核病人提供免费查治和实施DOTS管理.结果流动人口初治涂阳治愈率86.0%,复治涂阳治愈率76.0%;与全省常住人口初治治愈率85.6%一致,但是明显高于全省流动人口治愈率平均值61.5%.结论温州市加强流动人口结核病控制项目管理效果显著,DOTS策略得到扩展.     

Low yield of chest radiography in screening for active pulmonary tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients in Hong Kong.

This study assessed the usefulness of routine chest radiography for detecting active pulmonary tuberculosis in persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) without suggestive symptoms in Hong Kong. Tuberculosis is common in this locality and tuberculosis/HIV co-infection has been a frequent and significant problem. Records of patients attending the largest HIV clinic were reviewed. Three hundred and eleven routine chest radiographs were performed among 191 HIV-infected patients with a total follow-up period of 792 person years. Of the 22 routine chest radiographs that had abnormalities in the lungs or hilar region, only one had led to the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. No patient with a normal chest radiograph was diagnosed to have tuberculosis within the following 2 months. The low yield (0.32%) suggests that routine chest radiography is not useful in screening for active pulmonary tuberculosis in asymptomatic HIV-infected patients even in a locality where the tuberculosis rate is high.     

178例境外卫生机构通报入境肺结核患者信息管理情况分析

目的了解境外卫生机构通报的入境肺结核患者信息管理实施现况,为加强境外输入性肺结核防控提供依据。方法采用定量描述性分析方法,利用2007年7月1日至2013年12月31日境外卫生机构通报的肺结核患者监测信息,分析178例患者的基本情况,境外卫生机构和患者入境省份的分布情况,以及追访处理和信息反馈情况。结果耐多药肺结核患者占境外通报患者的14．6％（26／178）。通报患者数位居前三的卫生机构分布在美国、中国台湾和加拿大,共占通报患者总数的83．7％（149／178）;入境患者主要分布在广东省、福建省、上海市、江苏省和北京市等东部省（直辖市）,占65．2％（116／178）。61．8％（110／178）的入境患者经各地结核病防治机构追访到位并反馈信息,14．0％（25／178）的患者由于信息不全或者不真实导致失访。东部、中部和西部地区结核病防治机构没有反馈患者信息的比率分别为20．7％（24／116）、36．1％（13／36）和27．8％（5／18）。结论我国面临输入性肺结核特别是耐多药肺结核患者的传播风险,东部地区是重点预防和控制的地区,应有针对性地采取措施,加强境外卫生机构通报和输入性肺结核患者的信息管理工作。     

Small solid noncalcified pulmonary nodules detected by screening chest computed tomography

We aimed to determine the outcome of small (<10 mm) solid noncalcified pulmonary nodules detected by chest computed tomography (CT) scans. Reports of low-dose chest CT scans performed from October 2003 to April 2005 at the Seoul National University Hospital Healthcare System Gangnam Center were reviewed to identify patients with solid noncalcified pulmonary nodules smaller than 10 mm. Partly solid and nonsolid nodules or nodules without follow-up imaging within 1 year were excluded. Records were studied to determine if the initial nodules had changed in size. A total of 3478 chest CT examinations were performed, with 232 patients having small noncalcified nodules (6.7%). One hundred and thirty-eight patients met the criteria (104 men and 34 women) and 213 nodules were identified. The median age was 54 years (range 32-80) and at least 86 patients (62%) were at low to intermediate risk for developing lung cancer. The largest nodule was less than 5 mm in diameter in 87 patients (63%) and 5 mm or more in 51 patients (37%). None of the nodules grew and 29 (14%) decreased in size at follow-up CT scans performed within 12 months. When those individuals at low to intermediate risk for lung cancer were included, solid noncalcified subcentimeter nodules were less frequently found in low-dose CT screening and were nearly unchanged in size when a follow-up CT scan was done within 12 months.     

涂阳肺结核病人家庭密切接触者X线胸片筛检情况分析

目的了解涂阳肺结核病人家庭密切接触者中活动性肺结核检出情况。方法接受检查的家庭密切接触者771人,年龄＜15岁儿童进行结核菌素纯蛋白衍生物试验,对结核菌素反应≥10mm或虽＜10mm但伴有水泡等强反应的儿童,和≥15岁人群均摄X线胸片,对X线胸片提示肺部有异常阴影者进行痰涂片和痰培养检查。结果涂阳肺结核病人家庭密切接触者中活动性肺结核病人检出率为3.8%,涂阳肺结核检出率为0.8%。肺部病灶有空洞和排菌量大的病人其家庭密切接触者活动性肺结核检出率高。家庭密切接触者中年龄＞60岁组其活动性肺结核检出率高于其他组,经统计学处理,与15～60岁组比,差异有统计学意义。结论对涂阳肺结核病人家庭密切接触者摄X线胸片筛查,有助于提高肺结核病人发现率,是发现肺结核病例的一种有效手段。