Risk of travelling to the country of origin for tuberculosis among immigrants living in a low-incidence country
OBJECTIVE: To determine if travelling to the country of origin is a risk factor for TB among two different immigrant groups that have lived in the Netherlands for at least 2 years.
DESIGN: In this unmatched case-control study, the frequency and duration of travel to the country of origin in the preceding 12 months were compared between adult Moroccan and Turkish TB patients and community controls.
RESULTS: Moroccan patients had travelled more often (26/32 = 81%) in the preceding year than Moroccan controls (472/816 = 58%). The travel-associated odds ratio (OR) for TB among Moroccans was 3.2 (95%CI 1.3–7.7), and increased to 17.2 (95%CI 3.7–79) when the cumulative duration of travel exceeded 3 months. The corresponding population fraction of Moroccan TB cases attributable to recent travel was 56% (95%CI 19–71). Among Turkish immigrants TB was not associated with travel (OR 0.9, 95%CI 0.3–2.4).
CONCLUSION: Travel to the country of origin was a risk factor for TB among Moroccans, but not among Turkish people living in the Netherlands. The difference in travel-associated OR between these two immigrant groups is probably related to differences in TB incidence in these countries.
Keywords: attributable risk; case-control study; immigrants; travel; tuberculosis
Document Type: Regular Paper
Affiliations: 1: KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, The Hague, The Netherlands; University of Amsterdam, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 2: Department of Tuberculosis Control, Municipal Health Service, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 3: KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, The Hague, The Netherlands 4: The Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP), The Hague, The Netherlands 5: Department of Epidemiology and Information, Municipal Health Service, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Publication date: 01 January 2011
The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IJTLD) is for clinical research and epidemiological studies on lung health, including articles on TB, TB-HIV and respiratory diseases such as COVID-19, asthma, COPD, child lung health and the hazards of tobacco and air pollution. Individuals and institutes can subscribe to the IJTLD online or in print – simply email us at [email protected] for details.
The IJTLD is dedicated to understanding lung disease and to the dissemination of knowledge leading to better lung health. To allow us to share scientific research as rapidly as possible, the IJTLD is fast-tracking the publication of certain articles as preprints prior to their publication. Read fast-track articles.
- Editorial Board
- Information for Authors
- Subscribe to this Title
- International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
- Public Health Action
- Ingenta Connect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites
- Access Key
- Free content
- Partial Free content
- New content
- Open access content
- Partial Open access content
- Subscribed content
- Partial Subscribed content
- Free trial content