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Comparative Study
. 2009 Feb;13(2):190-5.

Tuberculosis incidence among contacts of active pulmonary tuberculosis

M Cailleaux-Cezar  1 , D de A Melo, G M Xavier, C L G de Salles, F C Q de Mello, A Ruffino-Netto, J E Golub, A Efron, R E Chaisson, M B Conde
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Tuberculosis incidence among contacts of active pulmonary tuberculosis

M Cailleaux-Cezar et al. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2009 Feb.

Abstract

Background: Treatment of latent tuberculosis (TB) infection (LTBI) in Brazil is recommended only in the case of contacts of pulmonary smear-positive TB patients aged<or=15 years with a tuberculin skin test (TST)>or=10 mm and no previous bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination or with a TST>or=15 mm regardless of previous BCG vaccination.

Objective: To evaluate the 2-year incidence and predictors of TB among contacts who did not meet the Brazilian criteria for LTBI treatment.

Design: Retrospective cohort study. Contacts aged between 12 and 15 years and those aged>or=15 years who did not meet the Brazilian criteria for LTBI treatment were enrolled in the study.

Results: TB incidence was 3.2% (22/667), with an estimated TB rate of 1649 per 100000 population. Risk of TB was greater among the 349 contacts with TST>or=5 mm (5.4%) compared to the 318 contacts with TST<5 mm (0.9%; RR 6.04, 95%CI 1.7-20.6).

Conclusion: The high incidence of TB among contacts who did not meet the Brazilian criteria for LTBI treatment strongly suggests that these criteria should be reviewed. Furthermore, even among BCG-vaccinated contacts, TST induration>or=5 mm was the only variable that predicted the development of TB disease within 2years.

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Figures

Figure
Figure
Flowchart of contacts evaluated. *Contacts who did not accept treatment for LTBI despite TST conversion. TST = tuberculin skin test; TB = tuberculosis; LTBI = latent tuberculosis infection.
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