RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Screening for tuberculosis (TB) disease and infection is often a part of health screening programs offered to refugees, but the yield of screening varies and losses along the steps from screening to treatment completion was reported. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed investigating a newly arrived refugee population offered a systematic refugee health assessment in Aarhus, Denmark. Data was collected on screening, referral, diagnosis and treatment for TB disease and infection. RESULTS: Among both adults and children IGRA positivity was associated with origin in a high TB incidence country and increasing age. The number needed to screen (NNS) to find one case of TB infection was 7 among adult refugees and 19 among children, while NNS for TB disease was 266 and 164 respectively. The proportion of the eligible population with a valid result was 78.1% for adults and 71.3% for children, while 43.1% and 50% of adults and children with presumed TB infection completed preventive treatment. DISCUSSION: Screening for TB disease and infection among refugees in Aarhus had a high yield in terms of diagnosis, however significant losses were seen during screening, follow-up and preventive treatment completion.