Prevention and early detection of tuberculosis

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Diseases
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global health concern, necessitating effective screening strategies.
• Identifying individuals at risk for TB infection and disease is crucial for targeted prevention and treatment.
• Current screening protocols may not fully capture all at-risk populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the prevalence of tuberculosis infection and active disease in a cohort of individuals with known TB contacts and those in defined TB risk groups.
• To assess the effectiveness of current screening practices and identify areas for improvement.

Main Methods:

• A screening program was conducted at the Department of Tuberculosis Prevention, La Fe Hospital, Valencia.
• 1,570 subjects were enrolled, including individuals with known TB contacts (active, old, primary infection) and those without known contacts but belonging to defined TB risk groups.
• Data on TB infection and active TB diagnosis were collected and analyzed.

Main Results:

• The overall tuberculosis infection rate was 40.13%.
• Active tuberculosis disease (TBC) was diagnosed in 2.23% of the screened population.
• Significant infection and disease rates were observed across all examined groups, including child primary infection contacts, previously unscreened old TB cases, and individuals in 'TB risk groups' without known contacts.

Conclusions:

• The study underscores the necessity of comprehensive TB screening that extends beyond active TB contacts.
• Screening should include individuals with a history of old TB, primary infection contacts, and those in defined risk groups without known exposure.
• Targeted screening of diverse at-risk populations is essential for effective tuberculosis control and prevention.