Abstract
BackgroundMost new cases of active tuberculosis in Norway are presently caused by imported strains and not transmission within the country. Screening for tuberculosis with a Mantoux test of everybody and a chest X-ray of those above 15 years of age is compulsory on arrival for asylum seekers.We aimed to assess the effectiveness of entry screening of a cohort of asylum seekers. Cases detected by screening were compared with cases detected later. Further we have characterized cases with active tuberculosis.MethodsAll asylum seekers who arrived at the National Reception Centre between January 2005 - June 2006 with an abnormal chest X-ray or a Mantoux test ≥ 6 mm were included in the study and followed through the health care system. They were matched with the National Tuberculosis Register by the end of May 2008.Cases reported within two months after arrival were defined as being detected by screening.ResultsOf 4643 eligible asylum seekers, 2237 were included in the study. Altogether 2077 persons had a Mantoux ≥ 6 mm and 314 had an abnormal chest X-ray. Of 28 cases with tuberculosis, 15 were detected by screening, and 13 at 4-27 months after arrival. Abnormal X-rays on arrival were more prevalent among those detected by screening. Female gender and Somalian origin increased the risk for active TB.ConclusionIn spite of an imperfect follow-up of screening results, a reasonable number of TB cases was identified by the programme, with a predominance of pulmonary TB.
Highlights
Most new cases of active tuberculosis in Norway are presently caused by imported strains and not transmission within the country
In recent years most new tuberculosis (TB) cases in Norway have occurred among immigrants from high incidence countries
The aims of the present study are to assess the effectiveness of the tuberculosis entry screening programme for diagnosing active TB in a cohort of asylum seekers and to characterize all cases of active tuberculosis
Summary
Most new cases of active tuberculosis in Norway are presently caused by imported strains and not transmission within the country. In recent years most new tuberculosis (TB) cases in Norway have occurred among immigrants from high incidence countries. Low incidence countries have diverse policies on entry screening of immigrants from high incidence countries. These range from no screening at all, to pre-immigration screening or screening after arrival [2,3,4]. Studies of screening of tuberculosis among immigrants have given TB prevalences that range from 0.1-1.2% [7,8,9,10], that can be due to differences in the characteristics of the populations and the screening programmes
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
