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Tuberculosis screening among immigrants holding a hunger strike in churches
Article in The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease · December 2003
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INT J TUBERC LUNG DIS 7(12):S412–S416
© 2003 IUATLD
Tuberculosis screening among immigrants holding
a hunger strike in churches
P. García de Olalla,*† J. A. Caylà,*† C. Milá,‡ J. M. Jansà,* I. Badosa,* A. Ferrer,* M. Ros,‡ J. Gómez i Prat,‡
J. M. Armengou,* E. Alonso,‡ J. Alcaide‡
* Department of Epidemiology, Agencia de Salut Pública, Barcelona, † Autonoma University of Barcelona, Barcelona,
‡ DAP Ciutat Vella, Institut Català de la Salut, Tuberculosis Investigation Unit of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
SUMMARY
S E T T I N G : In January 2001, approximately 600 immigrants held a sit-down and hunger strike in several
churches in Barcelona to force the Spanish government
to comply with demands to regulate their immigration
status. Following the diagnosis of a case of smear-positive
pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in one of the immigrants,
we performed a large contact investigation.
O B J E C T I V E S : To describe contact investigation procedures used in this setting and to evaluate contact investigation results.
M E T H O D S : Demographic variables were collected, and
tuberculin skin tests (TST) and chest radiograph examinations were performed. Odds ratios (OR) with 95%
confidence intervals (CI) were calculated and logistic
regression was used for multivariate analyses.
R E S U L T S : A total of 541 TSTs were performed. Of
these, 86% were read and 40.5% yielded a positive reac-
tion with an induration 14 mm. In a multivariate analysis, the risk of presenting a TST induration 14 mm
was found to be three times higher among those aged
35 years compared to those 24 years (OR 3.40;
95%CI 1.76–6.59), and for immigrants from Bangladesh (OR 3.14; 95%CI 1.16–6.10) and Pakistan (OR
2.04; 95%CI 1.11–3.73) compared to those from India.
A total of 314 chest radiographs examinations were performed and three additional cases of TB were identified,
yielding a TB prevalence of 0.7%.
C O N C L U S I O N S : By focusing efforts and conducting targeted TB screening in this high-risk population, it was
possible to complete the intervention in only 3 days. A
high prevalence of TB infection and TB disease was
found.
K E Y W O R D S : tuberculosis screening; tuberculin skin
test; immigrants
TUBERCULOSIS (TB) is very unevenly distributed in
the world: whereas some industrialized countries
present annual incidence rates of under 10 per 100 000
population, in many poor countries rates are in excess
of 300/100 000.1 The impact of these high TB rates,
added to the precarious situations in which immigrants often find themselves, will be a determining
factor for the epidemiology of TB in industrialized
countries.
In Spain, the implementation of new immigration
regulations for foreigners in 2001 gave rise to a series
of protests.2 In Barcelona, on 20 January 2001, some
600 immigrants without papers initiated a sit-down
and hunger strike in several churches in the inner city,
in an attempt to have their situation regularized. The
hunger strike lasted 15 days, and ended after a tentative agreement was reached with the government. The
majority of the strikers remained locked in until the
agreement had been ratified, and the strike was thus
prolonged for a total of 47 days.
Our TB screening effort was promoted by the detec-
tion of a case of infectious TB (pulmonary TB with
haemoptysis and sputum smear-positive for acid-fast
bacilli [AFB]) among one of the strikers. The index
case was a 44-year-old male who had arrived in Spain
from Pakistan 1 year before the hunger strike, and
had a history of cough and expectoration for 5 months
before being diagnosed. Since his arrival in Barcelona,
he had shared housing in several different places with
other immigrants. The patient participated in the strike
7 days before presenting with haemoptysis and being
identified as having TB.
In Spain, systematic TB screening is carried out
only in prisoners, although recommendations for TB
screening in migrants and other risk populations are
being contemplated.3 The City of Barcelona Tuberculosis Control Programme performed a TB contact
investigation, as is usual following exposure of large
groups of persons to TB.3 However, due to the specific
situation associated with the diagnosis of this index
case, it is important to acknowledge that in addition
to being a contact investigation, it represented screen-
Correspondence to: Patricia García de Olalla, Servicio de Epidemiología, Agencia de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Pl Lesseps
1, 08023 Barcelona, Spain. Tel: (34) 93 238 4554. Fax: (34) 93 218 2275. e-mail: polalla@imsb.bcn.es
Tuberculosis screening among immigrants
ing of individuals at high risk for TB. All the immigrants involved in the strike were screened, regardless
of whether or not they had been in contact.
The aim of the present report is to describe the
methods and results of the TB screening conducted
among immigrants from low-income countries holding a hunger strike in churches in Barcelona, and who
had unresolved problems with the regularization of
their residence permits.
METHODS
Before initiating the TB screening, consent and aid
was sought from the leaders of the various immigrant
nationalities taking part in the strike, as well as with
the leaders of the movement known as ‘Legalization
and Work For All’, comprised of volunteer workers
from several non-profit community organizations.
A patient information brochure was prepared that
explained the situation, the recommended interventions, and the plan of how these would be carried out.
It was written concisely and simply, and translated
into several languages (e.g., Arab, French, English,
Urdu, Hindu). Health care workers and other collaborators who were from the same countries of origin
as the strikers delivered the information. For those
Figure 1
S413
who preferred not to identify themselves, we used
alphanumeric identifiers instead of names.
Tuberculin skin tests (TST) were performed using
2 TU PPD RT-23 (Tuberculina PPD Evans, Celltech
Pharma, SA Madrid) and was read 48–72 h after
placement. For the purpose of the analysis, we classified people as being infected with Mycobacterium
tuberculosis if they had indurations 14 mm, as among
this population the influences of bacille CalmetteGuérin (BCG) vaccination and non-tuberculous mycobacteria are unknown.3 Treatment for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) was a priority in those patients
with TST 14 mm, because the probability of LTBI is
considered very high.
Chest X-ray examinations were performed for all
persons with a positive TST result (defined as 5 mm
induration) or anyone presenting with respiratory
symptoms.4,5 Through a special arrangement with the
Red Cross, persons requiring a chest radiograph were
transported from the churches to the TB Control Programme. On the first day of this intervention, 205
chest X-rays were performed; an additional 109 were
performed on subsequent days.
When the TST was performed an epidemiological
questionnaire was also administered, seeking the following information: name or other identifier, name of
Distribution of striking immigrants in Barcelona by church.
S414
The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
the church, country of origin, date of birth, and sex.
Additional data collected included the TST result
(induration size in mm) and whether or not a chest
X-ray had been ordered and performed. When the
strike was over, the groups of immigrants were contacted again, by approaching them directly and through
announcements in the newspaper published by the
Pakistani immigrant group of Barcelona, to facilitate
a follow-up control visit 2 to 3 months after the end
of the exposure.
Statistical analysis
A descriptive analysis was performed using the variables collected. In bivariate analyses, the 2 test was
used for comparison of categorical variables. Odds
ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI)
were used as the measure of association, and logistic
regression in multivariate analysis was used to study
predictors of TB infection using SPSS (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL).
RESULTS
The locations of the sit-down strikes and the distribution of the strikers among the different churches are
shown in Figure 1. There was considerable overcrowding in one church that housed 425 (78%) of the strikers.
A total of 546 immigrants were screened, with an
average age of 31 years (standard deviation 8 years,
Table 1 Demographic and clinical characteristics of the
546 striker immigrants in Barcelona
n (%)
Sex
Men
Women
Age group (years)
14–24
25–30
31–35
35
Unknown
Country of origin
Pakistan
Bangladesh
India
Morocco
Algeria
Sub-Saharan Africa
Eastern Europe
South America
Unknown
Results of initial TST (induration in mm)
Negative
5–14 mm
14
Positive TST prior to the strike
Unknown
Total
TST tuberculin skin test.
544 (99.6)
2 (0.4)
92 (17)
173 (32)
141 (26)
122 (22)
18 (3)
205 (37.5)
112 (20.5)
88 (16.1)
80 (14.7)
6 (1.1)
16 (2.9)
15 (2.8)
2 (0.4)
22 (4.0)
180 (33.0)
98 (17.9)
189 (34.6)
5 (0.9)
74 (13.6)
546 (100)
Figure 2 Prevalence of tuberculin skin test indurations by
country of origin and induration size in mm.
range 14–81). Demographic and clinical characteristics of the striker immigrants are shown in Table 1.
Of the 546 immigrants, five had a known positive
TST documented within the 2 months prior to the
strikes and were not retested. From a total of 541
TSTs performed, 467 (86%) were read, and no test
result was obtained for 74 (14%). When we compared these two groups (TST not read vs. TST read),
the only statistically significant difference was a higher
proportion of unread TSTs in persons from Morocco.
Of the 467 tests read, 189 (41%) had indurations
14 mm. Figure 2 shows the distribution of TST
results by country of origin, with persons from Bangladesh having a notably higher proportion of TST
indurations 14 mm and persons from the category
labelled as ‘other countries’ having a higher percentage of negative TST results.
In both the bivariate and multivariate analyses, age
and country of origin were significantly associated
with indurations 14 mm (Table 2). Thus, TB infection was found to be three times higher among those
aged 35 years than among those 24 years, and the
Table 2 Factors associated with TST indurations 14 mm
among 455 immigrants with complete data*
Age (years)
24
25–30
31–35
35
Country of origin
India
North Africa
Pakistan
Bangladesh
Others
Cases
(n 455)
n (%)
Crude OR†
(95%CI)
Adjusted OR‡
(95%CI)
79 (17)
152 (34)
118 (26)
106 (23)
1
1.66 (0.88–3.15)
1.96 (1.01–3.82)
3.09 (1.58–6.10)
1
1.56 (0.84–2.89)
2.09 (1.09–4.01)
3.40 (1.76–6.59)
72 (16)
64 (14)
169 (37)
102 (22)
48 (11)
1
1.12 (0.52–2.44)
2.04 (1.10–3.79)
2.50 (1.28–4.93)
1.19 (0.51–2.77)
1
1.30 (0.60–2.79)
2.04 (1.11–3.73)
3.14 (1.16–6.10)
1.11 (0.49–2.50)
* Of 467 eligible contacts, age was missing for 12.
† Bivariate analysis.
‡ Multivariate analysis.
TST tuberculin skin test; OR odds ratio; CI confidence interval.
Tuberculosis screening among immigrants
risk of presenting a TST induration of 14 mm was
2.5 times higher for immigrants from Bangladesh
than for those from India in the 455 contacts included
in the model (Table 2).
A total of 314 chest X-rays were performed and
three cases of active TB were diagnosed, although M.
tuberculosis culture was negative in all three. TB diagnosis was based on chest X-ray and in all cases by
strong clinical evidence consistent with TB, and their
improvement with a full course of anti-tuberculosis
chemotherapy. Thus, the prevalence of TB among
these immigrants, including the index case, was at least
0.7%. All four TB cases were pulmonary, and all underwent directly observed anti-tuberculosis treatment.
Follow-up control examinations were carried out
2–3 months post exposure in 173/467 (37%) immigrants. Persons with follow-up examination included
55 of 287 with a positive TST (5 mm induration) at
the first test. Of these 55, 16 presented a TST induration
14 mm. LTBI treatment was offered to those patients
with a fixed address to ensure monitoring of treatment.
Only five patients with indurations 14 mm fulfilled
this requirement and agreed to LTBI treatment.
The group with follow-up also included 118 of
180 persons with a negative TST at the first testing,
among whom no TST conversions were observed on
retesting.
DISCUSSION
This report describes a large screening effort to diagnose TB in a group of immigrants with unique difficulties limiting their access to health care: these people
were sequestered in churches on a hunger strike, at
risk of expulsion from the country because they
lacked the necessary residence permits. They had also
probably faced precarious health conditions in their
country of origin and during their period of displacement. On arrival in Spain, they were no doubt also
exposed for an undetermined length of time to factors
that would increase their vulnerability to TB and
other diseases.6,7
In recent years, in industrialized countries, there
have been continued suggestions that the progressive immigration of people from poorer areas of the
world has a direct impact in the rise of infectious diseases such as TB.8,9 This has been observed for some
time in countries with low incidence of TB disease
(i.e., Switzerland, the Netherlands, the USA10,11),
but has only recently become evident in Spain,
where TB incidence rates have been fairly high in
recent years.12–14
Analyses of data from the Barcelona City TB Prevention and Control Programme show that the percentage of TB cases among foreign immigrants has
risen from 7% in 1996 to 23% in 2000.15 This rise
continued during 2001, when we identified 170 (34%
of the total) cases of TB in immigrants, with the fol-
S415
lowing distribution by country of origin: Pakistan
21%, Morocco 18%, Ecuador 13%, Peru 10%, Philippines 4%, India 3%, and other countries 31%.16
In the last few years we have observed a decrease
of TB in the Spanish-born population and an increase
among immigrants. Due to the lack of immigrants
from Latin American and sub-Saharan countries participating in the hunger strike, we could not obtain a
broader view of TB infection and disease rates in these
populations, but, based on our surveillance data, these
groups of immigrants also contribute significantly to
TB morbidity in Barcelona.
The high TB prevalence rate observed in the
present study is consistent with the published estimates of TB burdens for some of the countries of
origin.17 This high rate, combined with a number of
other factors (poverty and crowded conditions during displacement, poor nutrition and a stressful environment on arriving in Spain), probably favoured the
development of TB disease and transmission of TB
infection.
An important limitation of our intervention was that
the 2–3 month follow-up examination was accomplished for only 37% of those tested initially, a low percentage compared to other studies.18 LTBI treatment
was offered to those patients with indurations 14 mm
along with a fixed address to ensure clinical and routine
laboratory monitoring of treatment.
If screening efforts such as ours were coordinated
with immigration authorities and were free of any
form of discrimination, the follow-up and final outcome rates could be much improved. Another study
limitation was that the relationship between the four
active cases identified could not be confirmed using
molecular epidemiological techniques, as three of the
four cases had negative cultures for M. tuberculosis,
and without positive cultures it is not possible to determine whether these cases are due to recent transmission or reactivation of old infection. Given the length
of the strike (about 7 weeks), it is possible that some
of the persons who initially tested positive were in
fact converters. On the other hand, the lack of TST
conversion mitigates against transmission. All of this
demonstrates the difficulty of trying to measure recent
transmission in a population with a high background
prevalence of TB.
Access to health services for immigrants to our
country could be accomplished by providing them
with a health card giving them the right to health care
with the same conditions as all Spanish citizens.
However, even under such a scenario, we believe that
it is unlikely that an evaluation for TB screening
would always be performed when an immigrant consults a doctor; it would therefore be preferable to
ensure systematic referral to a TB or immigration
control center. The optimal solution would be to link
the requisite medical examinations to the process of
issuing the residence permit, while ensuring that this
S416
The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
link does not result in discrimination, even among
those diagnosed as TB cases.
In conclusion, the rates of TB infection are very high
among specific groups of migrants coming to Spain.
The patterns of TB infection and disease among immigrants in Spain mirror those of their countries of origin. Coordination among public health services, TB
clinics, and migrant services are necessary when providing health care services for immigrant populations.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Margarita E Villarino, Research and Evaluation
Branch, National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for a critical review of this
manuscript.
We extend our sincere thanks to all collaborators and healthcare workers who facilitated this work: S Raja, A Ahmed, H
Ouarab, A Attaleb, M Abdoul, G E Embumba, T Rafi, F Shabi, A
Razaq, J Sing, A Lamine, S Sharif, M Abasi, M Farooq, M M Ilyas,
and J Mugal.
This work was partially financed by a grant from the Health
Research Foundation (FIS), file 00/0793.
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