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Table 2 Positive post-travel IGRA* and TST** results in a cohort of 516 travellers to TB-endemic countries, December 2008-September 2011

From: Screening travellers to high-endemic countries for infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis using interferon gamma release assay; a prospective study

Traveller

Travel

IGRA (IU/ml)

TST (mm)

Follow-up at TB department

 

Age range (y)

BCG

Travel history

Reason

Destination

Duration (days)

Pre-travel

Post-travel

Interval return and IGRA (days)

Conversion

Pre-travel

Post-travel

Interval return and TST (days)

Conversion

 

1

31-35

no

Asia: 3w Latin America: 4w

non medical work

SE Asia

365

−0,05

1.15

29

yes

nt

8

39

no

Volunteer work, non-medical. TST performed in 2000: 0 mm. Started preventive treatment 43 days post travel.

2

26-30

no

Africa: 1w

tourism

SE Asia

172

−0,03

0,56

25

yes

nt

2

37

no

IGRA repeated 85 days post travel: 0.21 IU/ml. No preventive treatment was started.

3

26-30

no

no

non medical work

SE Asia

150

nt

−0,01

27

no

2

13

27

yes

IGRA repeated 55 days post travel: 0.002 IU/ml. According to Dutch guidelines: no preventive treatment was started since IGRA was negative.

4

41-45

no

Asia: 3 mo Africa: 5 w

non medical work

SE Asia

356

nt

0,02

28

no

2

15

112

yes

No follow-up.

5

18-20

no

no

tourism

SE Asia/ East Asia

93

nt

0,04

38

no

0

11

90

yes

No follow-up IGRA. X-ray 94 days post travel showed no abnormalities; no preventive treatment.

6

36-40

no

Asia: 2 mo Latin America: 9 mo

tourism

South Asia

180

nt

−0,05

42

no

0

10

63

yes

No follow-up. No preventive treatment.

7

21-25

no

Africa: 6 w

medical setting

Sub-Sahara Africa

118

nt

0,11

18

no

0

10

79

yes

Medical student in a hospital in East-Africa for 3 months. IGRA repeated 79 days post travel: 7.47 IU/ml; Preventive therapy was started.

8

26-30

no

Asia: 6 w Latin America: 5 mo

tourism

Central America

147

nt

−0,01

20

no

nt

18

20

unknown

No IGRA follow-up. X thorax showed no abnormalities. No preventive treatment. (TST performed in 2007 was 6 mm).

9

41-45

no

Asia: 6 mo Africa: 1 mo

non medical work

sub-Sahara Africa

242

nt

−0,01

51

no

nt

11

51

unknown

No follow-up. According to Dutch guidelines: no preventive treatment was started since IGRA was negative.

10

21- 25

no

Africa: 10 mo

tourism

Central America

214

nt

0.00

21

no

nt

10

61

unknown

Advised to have IGRA repeated but no compliance.

  1. IGRA: interferon gamma release assay; TST: tuberculin skin test; TB: tuberculosis; y: years; w: weeks; mo: months; nt: not tested; *: of all 516 samples tested; **: of all 261 TST results.