Force of tuberculosis infection among adolescents in a high HIV and TB prevalence community: a cross-sectional observation study
Understanding of the transmission dynamics of tuberculosis (TB) in high TB and HIV prevalent settings is required in order to develop effective intervention strategies for TB control. However, there are little data assessing incidence of TB infection in adolescents in these settings.
Methods:
We performed a tuberculin skin test (TST) and HIV survey among secondary school learners in a high HIV and TB prevalence community.
TST responses to purified protein derivative RT23 were read after 3 days. HIV-infection was assessed using Orasure(R) collection device and ELISA testing.
The results of the HIV-uninfected participants were combined with those from previous surveys among primary school learners in the same community, and force of TB infection was calculated by age.
Results:
The age of 820 secondary school participants ranged from 13 to 22 years. 159 participants had participated in the primary school surveys.
At a 10mm cut-off, prevalence of TB infection among HIV-uninfected and first time participants, was 54% (n=334/620). HIV prevalence was 5% (n=40/816).
HIV infection was not significantly associated with TST positivity (p=0.07). In the combined survey dataset, TB prevalence was 45% (n=645/1451), and was associated with increasing age and male gender.
Force of infection increased with age, from 3% to 7.3% in adolescents [greater than or equal to]20 years of age.
Conclusions:
We show a high force of infection among adolescents, positively associated with increasing age. We postulate this is due to increased social contact with infectious TB cases.
Control of the TB epidemic in this setting will require reducing the force of infection.
Author: Keren MiddelkoopLinda-Gail BekkerHua LiangLisa AquinoElaine SebastianLandon MyerRobin Wood
Credits/Source: BMC Infectious Diseases 2011, 11:156
Published on: 2011-06-01
Copyright by the authors listed above - made available via BioMedCentral (Open Access). Please
make sure to read our disclaimer prior to contacting 7thSpace Interactive. To contact our editors, visit our online helpdesk. If you wish submit your own press release, click here.
Social Bookmarking
RETWEET This! | Digg this! | Post to del.icio.us | Post to Furl | Add to Netscape | Add to Yahoo! | Rojo
|
|
