Tuberculosis Infection Among People With Diabetes: United States Population Differences by Race/Ethnicity

Diabetes might confer a modestly increased risk of latent tuberculosis infection, which without treatment can progress to active tuberculosis disease. Three recent analyses of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found a positive association between diabetes and a positive test for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. This study examines whether prevalence of a positive test still varies by diabetes status after stratifying by race/ethnicity.

This cross-sectional analysis used the public-use National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2012 data sets and was conducted in 2018-2019. Interview and examination results for 5,560 adult participants yielded estimates for 219 million U.S. adults in the 4 largest race/ethnicity groups. The weighted prevalence of positive tuberculin skin test or interferon-gamma release assay by diabetes status was ascertained in each group.

Among white and black adults, diabetes was associated with no difference in positive skin test prevalence and little difference in positive interferon-gamma release assay prevalence. The positive assay prevalence difference was +14.5% (95% CI=2.3%, 26.7%) among Hispanic and +9.9% (95% CI=1.2%, 18.6%) among Asian adults, when comparing those with diabetes with those with neither diabetes nor prediabetes. Based on assay results, 23.6% (95% CI=14.0%, 36.9%) of Hispanic and 27.2% (95% CI=19.6%, 36.5%) of Asian adults with diabetes also had latent tuberculosis infection.

Hispanic and Asian subpopulation results drove much of the previously reported positive association between diabetes and a positive test for M. tuberculosis infection. Hispanic and Asian adults with diabetes might particularly benefit from screening and treatment for latent tuberculosis infection.