Erratum zu: Tuberkulosescreening bei asylsuchenden Kindern und Jugendlichen ≺ 15 Jahren in Deutschland

Abstract

Children and adolescents seeking asylum are at increased risk of infection with tuberculosis (TB) due to potential exposure in their country of origin, during their journey and accomodation in shared facilities. According to the German Act on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, persons who are to be accepted into community facilities for asylum seekers must present a medical certificate confirming that they have no evidence of infectious pulmonary TB. However, symptom or chest x-ray based screening is less sensitive and less specific for pulmonary TB in children and adolescents compared to adults. In addition a more cautious approach to using ionising radiation in this age group should be chosen. Therefore TB screening with immunodiagnostic tests including tuberculin skin tests (TST) or interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) is recommended. In children under the age of five years TST is the method of choice. In children between the age of 5 and below the age of 15 years of age TST or IGRA can be used. This should be done for all children and adolescents under 15 years old seeking asylum, regardless of the TB incidence their country of origin. Where the test result is positive, further investigation and treatment according to existing national recommendations should be conducted.