Tuberculosis screening for international students

Nonimmigrant, international students entering colleges in the United States are not required to undergo screening for tuberculosis (TB). Thirty-nine p ercent of active TB cases in the United States are in foreign-born individu als. In an effort to minimize the occurrence of active TB on a community ca mpus with an increasing international student population, the college healt h service implemented a TB-screening policy for all newly enrolled internat ional students. For the 1997/98 school year, 171 international students fro m 70 different countries enrolled in classes. Fifty-nine students (35%) scr eened for TB had a positive skin test (greater than 10 mm induration). Of t hose, 34 initiated isoniazid therapy, and 27 successfully completed the pre scribed regimen under supervision of the campus health office.