TB Facts for Health Care Workers
2006

Return to Table of Contents

Populations at Risk for Tuberculosis

Groups at Higher Risk for TB Exposure or Infection

Persons who are at higher risk for exposure to or infection with M. tuberculosis include

• Close contacts of persons known or suspected to have TB disease
• Foreign-born persons, including children, from areas that have a high TB prevalence
• Residents and employees of high-risk congregate settings
• Some medically underserved, low-income populations as defined locally
• High-risk racial or ethnic minority populations, defined locally as having an increased prevalence of TB
• Infants, children, and adolescents exposed to adults in high-risk categories
• Persons who inject illicit drugs; any other locally identified high-risk substance users
• Health care workers who serve high-risk clients.

Groups at Higher Risk for Developing TB Disease Once Infected

Persons who are at higher risk of developing TB disease once infected with M. tuberculosis include persons with

• HIV infection
• Recent infection with M. tuberculosis (within the past 2 years), particularly infants and very young children
• Medical conditions known to increase the risk for disease if infection occurs
• Current use of injecting illicit drugs; other groups of high-risk substance users
• History of inadequately treated TB disease.

HIV infection is the strongest known risk factor associated with the progression from latent TB infection to TB disease.

Last Reviewed: 05/18/2008
Content Source: Division of Tuberculosis Elimination
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention

 
Back to Top of Page

If you would like to order any of the DTBE publications please visit the online order form.

You will need Adobe Acrobat™ Reader v5.0 or higher to read pages that are in PDF format.  Download the Adobe Acrobat™ Reader.

If you have difficulty accessing any material on the DTBE Web site because of a disability, please contact us in writing or via telephone and we will work with you to make the information available.

Division of Tuberculosis Elimination
Attn: Content Manager, DTBE Web site
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd., NE Mailstop E-10
Atlanta, GA 30333
CDC-INFO at (1-800) 232-4636
TTY: 1 (888) 232-6348
E-mail: cdcinfo@cdc.gov

Home | Site Map | Contact Us
Accessibility | Privacy Policy Notice | FOIA | USA.gov
CDC Home | Search | Health Topics A-Z

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
Division of Tuberculosis Elimination
Please send comments/suggestions/requests to: CDCINFO@cdc.gov