Tuberculosis infection in children visiting friends and relatives in countries with high incidence of tuberculosis: A study protocol.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Tuberculosis (TB) is a global infectious disease. In low-incidence countries, paediatric TB affects mostly immigrant children and children of immigrants. We hypothesize that these children are at risk of exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis when they travel to the country of origin of their parents to visit friends and relatives (VFR). In this study, we aim to estimate the incidence rate and risk factors associated to latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and TB in VFR children.

Methods and analysis

A prospective study will be carried out in collaboration with 21 primary health care centres (PCC) and 5 hospitals in Catalonia, Spain. The study participants are children under 15 years of age, either immigrant themselves or born to immigrant parents, who travel to

SUBMITTER: Soriano-Arandes A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7478479 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature