TUBERCULOSIS AMONG FOREIGN-BORN PERSONS IN LOS-ANGELES-COUNTY, 1992-1994

Objectives: To describe the epidemiology of foreign-born tuberculosis (TB) cases in Los Angeles County and to evaluate current TB screening and follow-up of immigrants and refugees (I&R) to the USA. Design: Ret rospective analysis of the Los Angeles County TB registry between Octo ber 1992 and December 1994, We matched all cases who entered the USA d uring fiscal year 1993 (FY93) with a database from the tracking system of I&R with suspected TB. Results: Foreign-born persons accounted for 64% of all reported TB cases, Half were born in Mexico or Central Ame rica, Standardized incidence rates were 3-5 times higher than those of US-born persons for Mexicans and Central Americans, 6-7 times higher for North-east Asians, and 10-15 times higher for Southeast Asians, Am ong foreign-born cases who arrived during FY93,5% of the Mexicans and Central Americans, 48% of the North-east Asians and 67% of the South-e ast Asians were registered by the tracking system. Conclusion: Mexican s and Central Americans accounted for the majority of cases but had a lower incidence of TB than Asians, The current screening procedures id entify a large proportion of cases among recently arrived South-east A sians, but contribute little to the control of TB among Mexicans and C entral Americans.