[Eliminating tuberculosis one neighborhood at a time]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology
• Community Health Interventions

Context:

• Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant public health concern, particularly in specific high-incidence communities.
• Effective strategies are needed to interrupt TB transmission and achieve elimination goals.

Purpose:

• To evaluate a community-based strategy for preventing tuberculosis (TB) in areas with the highest disease burden.
• To assess the long-term impact of targeted screening and treatment on TB incidence.

Summary:

• A door-to-door campaign offered tuberculin skin testing (TST) to residents in two high-incidence neighborhoods in Smith County, Texas.
• TST-positive individuals received radiography and isoniazid preventive treatment (IPT).
• During the 10-year post-intervention period, no TB cases occurred in the targeted neighborhoods.

Impact:

• Active, community-based screening and IPT in high-incidence areas can be an effective strategy for TB prevention.
• This approach may accelerate the elimination of tuberculosis in the United States.
• Demonstrates the feasibility of intensive public health interventions in localized, high-risk populations.