Tuberculosis testing among populations with high HIV risk in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence of prior tuberculin skin testing (TST) among populations at risk for HIV infection in Tijuana, Mexico, and to identify factors associated with TST.


METHODS
Sex workers, injection drug users, noninjecting drug users, and homeless persons > 18 years old were recruited by using targeted sampling for risk assessment interviews and serologic testing for HIV and Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to identify correlates of self-reported TST history.


RESULTS
Of 502 participants, 38.0% reported prior TST, which was associated with previous incarceration in the United States of America [odds ratio (OR) = 13.38; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 7.37-24.33] and injection drug use (OR = 1.99; 95% CI = 1.27- 3.11). Positive results on serologic tests for M. tuberculosis infection (57%) and HIV (4.2%) were not associated with a prior TST.


CONCLUSIONS
A history of TST was lower in HIV-positive participants even though TST is indicated for persons with HIV in Mexico. Fewer than half the individuals at high risk for HIV in this study had a history of TST; however, TST was fairly common among those individuals with a prior history of incarceration. Increased tuberculosis screening is needed for populations at risk of contracting HIV in Tijuana, particularly those outside of criminal justice settings.
School of Medicine, University of California-San Diego, CA, USA.
Michele G
MG
Velasquez
Rafael
R
Laniado-Laborin
Timothy C
TC
Rodwell
Paris
P
Cerecer
Remedios
R
Lozada
Jazmine
J
Cuevas-Mota
Jose Luis
JL
Burgos
Richard S
RS
Garfein
D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055030:Drug Users / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D011204:Poverty Areas; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors; D060386:Sex Workers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D014374:Tuberculin Test / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult