title: A limited TB intervention in remote Taiwan: observations 10 years later.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A brief but comprehensive TB elimination program began in a remote region of Taiwan in 1997 involving five contiguous villages (n=2308).
  
  
  METHODS
  An aggressive intervention included tuberculin skin testing and treatment of latent TB infection. Normal program data was collected and later analyzed forming the basis of an operational research study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An initial 31% reduction in active TB cases (81 to 56 over 4 years) (p=0.033) was observed and persisted until the end of the 10-year follow-up period despite no further intervention. In the control population, no sustained reduction of TB was noted for the same period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although encouraging, a more robust study is needed to reasonably attribute the persistence of this significantly lower TB rate to this brief intensive intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Mennonite Christian Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan 97407 Inpatient Unit, Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Regional Hospital, Bethel, Alaska 99559, USA ron_bowerman@ykhc.org.
authors.forename: Ronald J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Bowerman
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Mennonite Christian Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan 97407 New Dawn Educare Center, Hualien, Taiwan 97407.
authors.forename: Mu-Chuan
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Eastern Regional Center, Centers for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Hualien, Taiwan 97407.
authors.forename: Pei-Chin
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023801:Directly Observed Therapy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D055985:Latent Tuberculosis; D012424:Rural Population; D013624:Taiwan; D013997:Time Factors; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents
keywords: Indigenous population; Latent tuberculosis infection; Taiwan; Tuberculosis