Skip to main content
Home / The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Volume 14, Number 12

Pediatric tuberculosis immigration screening in high-immigration, low-incidence countries

Buy Article:

$34.78 + tax (Refund Policy)

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) screening in migrant children, including immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers, is an ongoing challenge in low TB incidence countries. Many children from high TB incidence countries harbor latent TB infection (LTBI), and some have active TB disease at the point of immigration into host nations. Young children who harbor LTBI have a high risk of progression to TB disease and are at a higher risk than adults of developing disseminated severe forms of TB with significant morbidity and mortality. Many countries have developed immigration TB screening programs to suit the needs of adults, but have not focused much attention on migrant children.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the TB immigration medical examination requirements in children in selected countries with high immigration and low TB incidence rates.

DESIGN: Descriptive study of TB immigration screening programs for systematically selected countries.

RESULTS: Of 18 eligible countries, 16 responded to the written survey and telephone interview.

CONCLUSION: No two countries had the same approach to TB screening among migrant children. The optimal evidenced-based manner in which to screen migrant children requires further research.

Keywords: children; immigration; screening; tuberculosis

Document Type: Regular Paper

Affiliations: 1: Divisions of Respirology and Infectious Diseases, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, University of Ottawa at The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 2: Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 3: Swiss Federal Office of Public Health, Bern, Switzerland 4: Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 5: Travel and Migrant Health Section for Infections, London, UK 6: Direction Générale de la Santé, Sous-direction de Prévention des Risques Infectieux, Paris, France 7: Immigrant, Refugee and Migrant Health Branch, Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA 8: Department of Tuberculosis and AIDS, Public Health Services, Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel

Publication date: 01 December 2010

More about this publication?

  • 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

Share Content

  • Access Key
  • Free content
  • Partial Free content
  • New content
  • Open access content
  • Partial Open access content
  • Subscribed content
  • Partial Subscribed content
  • Free trial content