Infectious Tuberculosis among Newly Arrived Refugees in the United States

Abstract

To the Editor: In 2002, 51 percent of persons with tuberculosis in the United States were foreign-born; 19 percent of them had been in the United States for less than one year.1 To prevent persons with potentially infectious tuberculosis from entering the United States and to detect possible noninfectious tuberculosis, immigrants and refugees undergo tuberculosis screening overseas with the use of chest radiography. If radiographs suggest active tuberculosis, sputum smears are examined for acid-fast bacilli. Travel to the United States is deferred if smears are positive. For those with radiologic findings compatible with inactive tuberculosis, examination of smears for acid-fast . . .