Research: Tuberculosis: contact tracing for exposures in low-incidence countries

摘要

Research on the effectiveness of contact tracing strategies for detecting tuberculosis (TB) in people exposed to active TB cases in low-incidence countries like the UK.

詳細內容

This research publication examines the effectiveness of contact tracing strategies for detection of Tuberculosis (TB) in people exposed to a person with active TB in low TB incidence countries. The study is particularly relevant for the UK and similar settings.

Context: Low TB incidence countries (< 10 cases per 100,000 population) face different challenges than high-burden settings:

Most cases occur in specific risk groups
Transmission events are less common
Contact tracing plays a crucial role in early detection
Preventing onward transmission is achievable

Contact tracing strategies examined:

Concentric circles approach: Prioritizing close contacts first
Risk stratification: Assessing individual exposure risk factors
Setting-based investigations: Household, workplace, social contacts
Active case finding: Screening high-risk contacts
Latent TB infection (LTBI) testing: Preventing progression to active disease

Key research findings typically include:

Yield of active TB cases among contacts
Proportion with latent TB infection
Cost-effectiveness of different strategies
Optimal testing methods (tuberculin skin test vs. interferon-gamma release assays)
Follow-up protocols and completion rates

Implications for practice:

Evidence-based contact tracing protocols
Resource allocation in TB control programs
Balancing thoroughness with feasibility
Integration with broader TB elimination strategies

Relevance for UK: As a low-incidence country working toward TB elimination, effective contact tracing is a cornerstone of the UK’s TB control strategy, particularly for preventing transmission in vulnerable populations.

摘要

詳細內容

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