Pulmonary tuberculosis in overseas students of higher education is increasing in Edinburgh.
In Edinburgh in 1991 a relative excess of pulmonary TB cases in the 15-34 year age group was recorded. Five of 17 notifications in this age group were of overseas students of higher education: three aged 21-29 from Central Africa, one 27-year-old Asian and one 26-year-old Western European. One of the African students was seropositive for HIV infection. Disease presented clinically on average 31 months after entry to the U.K. (range 6-48 months). Four students had smear positive disease. Two patients had had normal chest radiographs 1 and 2 years previously on entry to the U.K.; three students had not previously been radiologically screened. We suggest that students from countries with a high prevalence of tuberculosis should be screened on entry to their course of education and that student health services should develop and maintain a high index of suspicion for tuberculosis in these students.
Faccenda
J
J
Department of Medicine, University of Edinburgh, U.K.
Watt
B
B
Leitch
A G
AG
D000328:Adult; D000350:Africa, Central / Q000208:ethnology; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D004500:Education, Graduate; D005060:Europe / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D013334:Students; D013997:Time Factors; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000453:epidemiology*