Title
Emergency department screening for latent tuberculosis infection
Date Issued
01 April 2022
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Faryar K.A.
Braun R.
Ancona R.M.
Ajayi E.
Bryant W.
Rehman S.
Sall H.
Lyons M.S.
Huaman M.A.
Publisher(s)
W.B. Saunders
Abstract
Objective: Approximately 12.4 million people in the U.S. have latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), 73% of whom are non-U.S. born. Identification and treatment of LTBI are essential for tuberculosis eradication. We evaluated an emergency department (ED) – based LTBI screening and linkage to care program. Methods: We queried electronic records of a clinical prevention program located in a Midwestern, urban, academic ED that serves as the region's safety-net hospital. Program staff approached non-U.S. born ED patients from TB endemic areas. Patients received QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT) blood testing and, if positive, were referred to treatment. The primary outcome was the proportion of tested patients newly diagnosed with LTBI. We secondarily report the number of patients linked to care who initiated LTBI treatment. Results: The program approached 33 patients, of whom 24 (72.7%) were eligible, and 23 (95.8%) were tested. The majority were male (13, 56.5%), median age was 33 years (IQR 27–45), and 13 (56.5%) were from Latin America. Three patients (13.0%, 95% CI 0.03–0.35) were newly diagnosed with LTBI and linked to care; two (66.7%) started LTBI treatment. Conclusions: In this first report of an ED-based LTBI screening program implemented in a region with low TB prevalence, over 10% of high-risk ED patients tested positive for LTBI and were linked to treatment. Screening populations at risk for LTBI in EDs and linking them to public health treatment services should be prioritized in order to achieve TB elimination in the U.S.
Start page
323.e5
End page
323.e8
Volume
54
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Enfermedades infecciosas
Cuidado crítico y de emergencia
Subjects
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85119117507
PubMed ID
Source
American Journal of Emergency Medicine
ISSN of the container
07356757
Source funding
Lupus Foundation of America
Sponsor(s)
This work was supported by the University of Cincinnati Latino Faculty Association (UC LFA) Small Grants Award , awarded to MAH. The authors thank all Early Intervention Program (EIP) health promotion advocates (HPAs) and linkage coordinators for their tireless efforts. We also thank all patients and clients who participated in our screening program for their participation.
This work was supported by the University of Cincinnati Latino Faculty Association (LFA) Small Grants Award , University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, USA.
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus