Report: Immigrant TB Screen Saving Money

Newsday.com ^ | December 5, 2002 | STEPHANIE NANO

[gubamyster]

By STEPHANIE NANO

Associated Press Writer

December 5, 2002, 1:22 AM EST

Screening and treating immigrants from developing countries for dormant tuberculosis infections would prevent thousands of cases and save tens of millions of dollars, a study shows.

While the number of TB cases in the United States has been dropping, immigrants account for a growing proportion of them. There were nearly 16,000 U.S. cases last year and about half were in foreign-born residents, up from 27 percent a decade earlier.

Potential immigrants now get a chest X-ray to detect active TB, and those who are sick are required to get treatment. The Institute of Medicine has recommended a skin test for inactive, or latent, infections also be given to those from countries where TB is common.

[alloysteel]

Just one of the reasons that immigration should be by legal means only. How many of the illegals that jump ship and swim ashore, or slip over the border, undergo a medical screening first?

[Inspectorette]

And how many of them end up cooking and serving food in restaurants? Kinda scary.