title: Pediatric tuberculosis immigration screening in high-immigration, low-incidence countries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tuberculosis (TB) screening in migrant children, including immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers, is an ongoing challenge in low TB incidence countries. Many children from high TB incidence countries harbor latent TB infection (LTBI), and some have active TB disease at the point of immigration into host nations. Young children who harbor LTBI have a high risk of progression to TB disease and are at a higher risk than adults of developing disseminated severe forms of TB with significant morbidity and mortality. Many countries have developed immigration TB screening programs to suit the needs of adults, but have not focused much attention on migrant children.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the TB immigration medical examination requirements in children in selected countries with high immigration and low TB incidence rates.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive study of TB immigration screening programs for systematically selected countries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 18 eligible countries, 16 responded to the written survey and telephone interview.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No two countries had the same approach to TB screening among migrant children. The optimal evidenced-based manner in which to screen migrant children requires further research.
authors.affiliation: Division of Respirology, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, University of Ottawa at The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. galvarez@ohri.ca
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Altpeter
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Douglas
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: M-C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Paty
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Posey
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chemtob
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003625:Data Collection; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D055985:Latent Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology