Tuberculosis screening: A review and a potential role for prehospital care providers

Abstract

Although tuberculosis has declined throughout this century, it has recently made a resurgence in our society. A major step in proper control measures is effective tuberculosis screening programs. Up to this point, prehospital care personnel have had a limited role in preventive medicine. In this article, it is proposed that prehospital care personnel can be a factor in the fight against tuberculosis through the conducting of tuberculin skin testing. The epidemiology of tuberculosis, tuberculosis control strategies, the current role of prehospital care in public health, the administration and interpretation of the tuberculin skin test, and tuberculosis high-risk groups are also reviewed.

Key Words:

• tuberculosis
• screening
• prevention
• tuberculin test
• emergency medical technicians
• public health
• infection control.