Tuberculosis Contact Investigations Conducted in New York City Adult Day Care and Senior Centers, 2011-2018.

Abstract

Multiple tuberculosis (TB) exposures have been reported in New York City (NYC) adult day care and senior centers. Strategies to identify TB transmission at such locations are needed. Review of the NYC TB Registry identified 12 contact investigations (CIs) at adult day care or senior centers (2011-2018). Median age of the 12 index patients was 81 years. Of 148 contacts identified who had no history of TB infection or disease, 141 (95%) were tested for TB, primarily with interferon gamma release assays; 46 (33%) tested positive. Transmission was probable (n = 3) or possible (n = 1) at 4 (33%) centers; at all of these, the index patient had an acid-fast bacilli-positive sputum smear. Transmission was not found from index patients with negative sputum smears. We found evidence of transmission of smear-positive respiratory TB disease to contacts in adult day care or senior centers, underscoring the importance of CI.