Latent tuberculosis infection screening program for school teachers in South Korea, 2018

This study aimed to outline the processes and identify key success factors of the 2018 latent tuberculosis (TB) infection (LTBI) screening program for high school teachers in Korea, conducted as part of a series of large-scale screening initiatives.

In 2018, we screened 4692 school teachers from 121 schools, and the data were recorded in the "TB-net" of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). We analyzed the characteristics of the examinees by sex and age, in addition to the LTBI rate, and the initiation and completion rate of TB preventive treatment (TPT).

Of the 4692 teachers screened, the LTBI prevalence was 20.0%, with rates increasing with age. Among the 938 individuals diagnosed with LTBI, 31.0% initiated TPT. Of these, 226 individuals completed treatment, yielding a treatment completion rate of 77.7%. The preferred treatment regimens were 3 months isoniazid + rifampin (3HR) (83.8%), 4 months rifampin (4R) (13.7%), and 9 months isoniazid (2.4%). Completion rates were highest among those on the 4R regimen (87.5%), followed by the 3HR regimen (77.0%).

The success of this program can be attributed to a comprehensive and well-structured process that included prior education and informed consent, screenings and treatments conducted in designated clinics and hospitals, and robust side-effect management for TPT.