TUBERCULOSIS

Tuberculosis in Refugees and Migrants

According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), there were an estimated 20 million refugees and displaced and needy people in 2003. Many refugees originate from countries with high TB incidence rates. Poor nutrition and health mean that refugees are at particularly high risk of developing TB. Untreated TB spreads quickly in crowded refugee camps and shelters. It is difficult to treat mobile populations, as treatment takes at least six months and should ideally be supervised.
In many western European countries , and in the USA , over 50% of TB cases notified in 2001 were among people who were not born in the country and/or were not citizens of the country.

Tuberculosis among Florida’s foreign-born is increasing. In 1993, the foreign-born were 23% (376 out of 1646) TB cases. However, over the last decade the proportion of TB for foreign-born persons rose to 46% (484 out of 1046) in 2003. 76% of foreign-born cases were reported in six metropolitan counties: Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Orange, Hillsborough and Duval.

Orange County reported 33% 27 out of 83 TB cases were foreign born. Of the 27 foreign born, Haitians represented 22% (6 out of 27)