Current Approaches to Tuberculosis in the United States

Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment of Latent Tuberculosis Infection

“…7,12,23,[35][36][37][38][39] Because IGRAs have specific antigens that target M. tuberculosis, they do not react with common NTM 23,39 or BCG vaccine strains 12,36 and do not produce an immunologic "boost." 40,41 Although there are additional costs, the administrative and laboratory analytical techniques for IGRAs follow a standard, objective protocol and provide results within 24 hours, enabling the identification and management of patients with LTBI from hardto-reach groups.…”

“…6 However, immunocompromised individuals have a larger risk of TB reactivation, including up to 10% increased annual risk for people positive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). 7 Of the remaining 90% of individuals who become infected, the organism remains dormant in the body, producing an asymptomatic latent TB infection (LTBI). 8 Key differences between active infections and LTBIs 2,4,5,7,9 -11 are listed in Table 1.…”

“…In the United States, between 10 and 15 million people-or 3.2% of the population-are estimated to have an LTBI. 7,12 Over the past 2 decades, the incidence trend in active TB disease has decreased in the United States from 14,874 new cases in 2003 13 to 13,293 new cases in 2007 14 and then to 9,951 new cases in 2012. 15 Specific groups that have increased risk of reactivation of LTBI to active TB disease include foreign-born people with previous TB infection (within 2 years) that was not treated or treated ineffectively; immunosuppressed people (e.g., HIV, head or neck cancer, chronic renal disease, diabetes mellitus); people with previous gastrointestinal surgical procedures (e.g., gastrectomy, jejunoileal bypass); people taking immunosuppressive treatment (e.g., tumor necrosis factor-␣ antagonists, chronic corticosteroid use, therapy after organ transplantation); people with poor nutrition status; or children Ͻ5 years old.…”

Tuberculosis: a medical evergreen

“…Like every clinician radiologists must also be aware of tuberculosis as a possible differential diagnosis in order to avoid unnecessary diagnostic delay. Patients may initially be treated as having community-acquired pneumonia (8). Furthermore, it may be possible to radiologically detect active disease (3,7).…”

Prevalência De Notificação Dos Casos De Tuberculose Nas Estratégias De Saúde Da Família No Município De Santa Cruz Do Sul, Rs

“…[1][2][3][4] Embora seja considerada uma das mais antigas doenças infecciosas da humanidade e o tratamento seja efetivo, a TB continua sendo um problema de saúde pública no Brasil e no mundo. [5][6][7][8][9] A Organização Mundial da Saúde notificou 6,2 milhões de casos de TB no mundo sendo que 1,3 -1,6 milhões de pessoas morrem anualmente decorrente dessa patologia. 1,10,11 No Brasil, foram registrados 69 mil casos e o país encontra-se entre os 22 países que concentram 82% dos casos da doença no planeta, fazendo com que a TB integre a "Lista Nacional de Agravos de Notificação Compulsória".…”