Community-wide Screening for Tuberculosis

Abstract

To the Editor: According to national surveys regarding the prevalence of tuberculosis during the past 15 years,¹ the prevalence is two to three times as high as the previous estimates, a finding that reflects the large burden of undiagnosed tuberculosis. Community-based active case finding is a strategy that could overcome patients’ barriers to the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis.² Marks et al. (Oct. 3 issue)³ report that annual house-to-house, community-wide screening was associated with a 44% lower prevalence of tuberculosis than routine passive case finding after 3 years. This result provides important proof-of-principle that community-based active case finding in conjunction . . .