[Tuberculosis in immigrants: clinical and epidemiological differences as compared to the native population (1999-2002)].
BACKGROUND
Tuberculosis in immigrants is an emerging disease in industrialized countries.


METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of culture-positive tuberculosis cases in the immigrant and native populations.


RESULTS
One hundred and five cases of tuberculosis were observed; 22 cases (21%) were in immigrants. The 2002 incidence was 64.3 cases per 100,000 immigrants. Mean age of the affected immigrants was 28.5 years lower than that of the affected native population (p < 0.001). The rate of HIV coinfection was 9.1%. In 81.8% (18) of immigrants, presentation was exclusively pulmonary, a higher percentage than in the native population (59.2%) (p = 0.05). Loss to follow-up was more common among immigrants (35%) than among the native population (9.2%) (p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Tuberculosis in the immigrant population generally involves the lungs, appears in younger subjects and is a public heath problem because of the high rate of losses to follow-up.
Ramos
José Manuel
JM
Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital General Universitario de Elche, Alicante, Spain. jramosrincon@yahoo.es
Masiá
Mar
M
Rodríguez
Juan Carlos
JC
Padilla
Isabel
I
Soler
M José
MJ
Gutiérrez
Félix
F
D000328:Adult; D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000208:ethnology; D000352:Africa, Northern / Q000208:ethnology; D000367:Age Factors; D015897:Comorbidity; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005061:Europe, Eastern / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013020:South America / Q000208:ethnology; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D018088:Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology