The US goal of eradicating tuberculosis by 2010, achieving an incidence of less than one infection per 1 million population, is not likely to be met, mostly due to high rates of latent infections in some populations, according to a new report by CDC researchers.
Dr. Thomas R. Navin and colleagues estimated latent TB prevalence in the United States using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2000 TB component. Of 7,386 people given TB tests, 4.2 percent were determined to be infected with latent TB. Of those with latent infection, just 25.5 percent had been previously diagnosed, and only 13.2 percent had been treated for latent TB. The infection rate would have to be 1 percent and decreasing to reach the goal of TB eradication by 2010.
Latent TB is not transmissible, but one in 10 people with latent infections will develop active TB, which makes preventive treatment of latent TB important.
Latent infections were more prevalent in foreign-born persons (18.7 percent) than the US-born (1.8 percent); those living below the poverty level (6.1 percent) than above (3.3 percent); and among non-Hispanic blacks and Mexican Americans than with non-Hispanic whites.
Basic TB control efforts, including targeted evaluation and treatment of people in high-prevalence groups, "are needed to further TB elimination efforts in the United States," concluded Navin and colleagues. In addition, "TB prevention and control efforts in high-burden countries" should be pursued.
The full report, "Prevalence of Tuberculosis Infection in the United States Population," was published in American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (2008;177:348-355).
02/05/08
TB Eradication in the US by 2010 Unlikely: Survey
Source: http://www.reuters.com ;Courtesy of the CDC National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention