[Pulmonary tuberculosis in an immigrant population: the epidemiological aspects and clinical picture]

The number of extra European subjects coming to our country, in the last twenty years, is increased. This fact has contributed to enlarge the number of new cases of tuberculosis. In the present work we analyzed 54 extra European and 116 Italian patients with pulmonary tuberculosis observed in the last six years in our institute. The diagnosis was established by finding acid-fast bacilli in sputum and by clinical and radiographic patterns. We found that extra European subjects show disseminated and ulcerated forms in about 89% against approximately 40% viewed in Italian patients; while the cases of noncavitary tb in immigrants were about 11% against 60% in Italian population.