BACKGROUND: During the last decade, Israel, a country with low tuberculosis rates, absorbed some 900,000 new immigrants from TB-endemic countries. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the specific impact of our screening procedures on active TB among children in Israel. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of epidemiologic and clinical data of all children (aged 0-17) with TB notified to the Ministry of Health between 1990 and 1999. RESULTS: There were 479 children with TB (male/female ratio 1.36). Most cases (81.8%) were foreign born, predominantly (88.2%) immigrants from Ethiopia and, therefore, huge differences existed in TB incidence rates according to countries of origin. Some 80% were diagnosed within 3 years of arrival, mainly due to active case-finding. Pulmonary TB, with infiltrates on chest X-ray, was found in 49.5%. Extra-pulmonary TB sites were: intra-thoracic lymphadenitis (31.1%), extra-thoracic lymphadenitis (12.5%), bones (3.6%), pleura (1.3%), meninges (1%), and others (1%). Seventy percent had a tuberculin skin test reaction > or =10 mm in size. Two (non-immigrant) children died of TB meningitis. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the pediatric TB cases occurred in recent immigrants and were diagnosed within 3 years of immigration. These data support our policy of active case-finding among new immigrants from Ethiopia and extensive contact evaluation for all TB cases.
BACKGROUND: During the last decade, Israel, a country with low tuberculosis rates, absorbed some 900,000 new immigrants from TB-endemic countries. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the specific impact of our screening procedures on active TB among children in Israel. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of epidemiologic and clinical data of all children (aged 0-17) with TB notified to the Ministry of Health between 1990 and 1999. RESULTS: There were 479 children with TB (male/female ratio 1.36). Most cases (81.8%) were foreign born, predominantly (88.2%) immigrants from Ethiopia and, therefore, huge differences existed in TB incidence rates according to countries of origin. Some 80% were diagnosed within 3 years of arrival, mainly due to active case-finding. Pulmonary TB, with infiltrates on chest X-ray, was found in 49.5%. Extra-pulmonary TB sites were: intra-thoracic lymphadenitis (31.1%), extra-thoracic lymphadenitis (12.5%), bones (3.6%), pleura (1.3%), meninges (1%), and others (1%). Seventy percent had a tuberculin skin test reaction > or =10 mm in size. Two (non-immigrant) children died of TB meningitis. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the pediatric TB cases occurred in recent immigrants and were diagnosed within 3 years of immigration. These data support our policy of active case-finding among new immigrants from Ethiopia and extensive contact evaluation for all TB cases.
Authors: Robert J Blount; Bao Tran; Leah G Jarlsberg; Ha Phan; Van Thanh Hoang; Nhung Viet Nguyen; Deborah A Lewinsohn; Payam Nahid Journal: PLoS One Date: 2014-05-12 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Bukola Salami; Higinio Fernandez-Sanchez; Christa Fouche; Catrin Evans; Lindiwe Sibeko; Mia Tulli; Ashley Bulaong; Stephen Owusu Kwankye; Mary Ani-Amponsah; Philomina Okeke-Ihejirika; Hayat Gommaa; Kafuli Agbemenu; Chizoma Millicent Ndikom; Solina Richter Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-03-28 Impact factor: 3.390