Tuberculosis, migrations and foreign students

Abstract

Worldwide, tuberculosis is the thirteenth leading cause of death. It is preventable and curable. In the immigrant population, it characteristically appears more frequently during the first 5 years after arrival in the country of destination due to reactivation of the latent infection acquired in the country of origin. The increase in students from countries with a high burden of tuberculosis constitutes a challenge for the elimination of the disease in Cuba. The National Program for the Control and Elimination of Tuberculosis in the country has managed to maintain the disease in a favorable situation. If the pertinent indications established are not complied with, there is a risk of affecting the health of the Cuban population since part of these foreign students live within it. Surveillance and control of temporary foreign students should be extended as a sentinel process to all sectors of secondary and university education that receive them. Most of the country's universities receive temporary foreign students. The occurrence of tuberculosis in this vulnerable group should not fail to be registered, notified and analyzed in the reports of the Tuberculosis Control Program. We must take more care of the health of foreign students and protect our population on the path to eliminating Tuberculosis as a public health problem. The elimination of Tuberculosis needs to strengthen prevention, medical care and control actions. Foreign students constitute a priority vulnerable group for the renewed vigilance of a comprehensive inter-multisectoral intervention.