title: Saudi guidelines for testing and treatment of latent tuberculosis infection.
abstract: Pulmonary tuberculosis is a common disease in Saudi Arabia. As most cases of tuberculosis are due to reactivation of latent infection, identification of individuals with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) who are at increased risk of progression to active disease, is a key element of tuberculosis control programs. Whereas general screening of individuals for LTBI is not cost-effective, targeted testing of individuals at high risk of disease progression is the right approach. Treatment of those patients with LTBI can diminish the risk of progression to active tuberculosis disease in the majority of treated patients. This statement is the first Saudi guideline for testing and treatment of LTBI and is a result of the cooperative efforts of four local Saudi scientific societies. This Guideline is intended to provide physicians and allied health workers in Saudi Arabia with the standard of care for testing and treatment of LTBI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, King Saud University for Health Sciences, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. jahdali@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Hamdan H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Al Jahdali
authors.forename: Salim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baharoon
authors.forename: Abdullah A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Abba
authors.forename: Ziad A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Memish
authors.forename: Abdulrahman A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Alrajhi
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: AlBarrak
authors.forename: Qais A
authors.initials: QA
authors.lastname: Haddad
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al Hajjaj
authors.forename: Madhukar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pai
authors.forename: Dick
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Menzies
mesh_terms: D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006801:Humans; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014374:Tuberculin Test / Q000592:standards; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents