Screening for Latent Tuberculosis Infection in Adults: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement.
OBJECTIVE
Tuberculosis remains an important preventable disease in the United States. An effective strategy for reducing the transmission, morbidity, and mortality of active disease is the identification and treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) to prevent progression to active disease.


OBJECTIVE
To issue a current US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation on screening for LTBI.


METHODS
The USPSTF reviewed the evidence on screening for LTBI in asymptomatic adults seen in primary care, including evidence dating from the inception of searched databases.


RESULTS
The USPSTF found adequate evidence that accurate screening tests for LTBI are available, treatment of LTBI provides a moderate health benefit in preventing progression to active disease, and the harms of screening and treatment are small. The USPSTF has moderate certainty that screening for LTBI in persons at increased risk for infection provides a moderate net benefit.


CONCLUSIONS
The USPSTF recommends screening for LTBI in populations at increased risk. (B recommendation).
University of California, San Francisco.
Kirsten
K
Bibbins-Domingo
Group Health Research Institute, Seattle, Washington.
David C
DC
Grossman
University of Iowa, Iowa City.
Susan J
SJ
Curry
University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Linda
L
Bauman
Columbia University, New York, New York.
Karina W
KW
Davidson
State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse.
John W
JW
Epling
Pima County Department of Health, Tucson, Arizona.
Francisco A R
FA
García
Independent consultant, Washington, DC.
Jessica
J
Herzstein
Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.
Alex R
AR
Kemper
Fairfax Family Practice Residency, Fairfax, Virginia11Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond.
Alex H
AH
Krist
Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
Ann E
AE
Kurth
University of Alabama at Birmingham.
C Seth
CS
Landefeld
University of California, Los Angeles.
Carol M
CM
Mangione
University of Washington, Seattle.
William R
WR
Phillips
Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
Maureen G
MG
Phipps
University of Texas at Austin.
Michael P
MP
Pignone
D000328:Adult; D026683:Advisory Committees; D006801:Humans; D055985:Latent Tuberculosis; D008403:Mass Screening; D011320:Primary Health Care; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014376:Tuberculosis