Epidemiological impact of mass tuberculosis screening: a 2-year follow-up after a national prevalence survey

To assess the epidemiological impact of mass tuberculosis (TB) screening in the community and the prognosis of bacteriologically negative individuals with abnormal findings on chest radiography (CXR).

A follow-up study consisting of two parts--a register match of notified TB cases with 22,160 participants in a national TB prevalence survey, and a repeat medical examination for the subjects of a prevalence survey with abnormal findings on CXR--was conducted 2 years after the prevalence survey in Cambodia.

Thirty-four cases with new smear-positive TB were detected by register match, giving a standardised notification ratio of 0.38 (95%CI 0.27-0.52). An additional seven new smear-positive TB cases and 93 new smear-negative, culture-positive TB cases were detected by medical examination. The incidence rates of bacteriologically positive TB were 8.5% per year (95%CI 6.3-11.2) in cases with a CXR suggestive of active TB and 2.9% per year (95%CI 2.2-3.7) in those with a CXR with other abnormalities.

Detection and treatment of smear-negative, culture-positive TB cases as well as smear-positive TB cases was associated with a rapid reduction in subsequent incidence of new smear-positive TB. Sputum culture-negative individuals with abnormal CXR findings are at a high risk of disease progression, and require follow-up and potentially preventive treatment.