title: Tuberculosis in the elderly.
abstract: Elderly persons of today are survivors of a time when most adults were infected with tuberculosis. Although many people died at that time, others survived the initial infection but continued to harbor viable bacilli in dormant caseous and calcified lesions. This article discusses the tuberculin test in the elderly, transmission and risk of infection in nursing homes, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, management considerations, preventive therapy, and surveillance of tuberculosis in nursing homes.
authors.affiliation: Medical Service, Alvin C. York Veterans Administration Medical Center, Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Dutt
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Stead
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D009735:Nursing Homes; D012307:Risk Factors; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents