Tuberculosis has been a plague on humanity for thousands of years. To this day it remains one of the most common causes of disease and death in people around the world. At this time, approximately one-third of the world’s population is infected with tuberculosis, causing over a million deaths a year. Prevention and control requires both effective antibiotics as well as a public health program of screening and ensuring treatment of those who are infected and contagious.
Current screening strategies in the United States involve screening only those children and adults who are at higher risk. Therefore each person’s risk of tuberculosis must be evaluated so that those at higher risk can be tested. Evaluating children’s risk is a standard part of well child visits.
Currently, tuberculosis risk assessment is performed at the following well visits:
Children who are at higher risk are tested for possible tuberculosis using a skin test or a blood test.
References
Hagan JF, Shaw JS, Duncan PM, eds. Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents, 4th ed. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics, 2017. Bright Futures website
American Academy of Pediatrics Periodicity Schedule
US Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for Latent Tuberculosis Infection in Adults: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. JAMA. 2016;316(9):962–969. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.11046