Active tuberculosis case finding in migrants – ECDC workshop for EU Member States

The main beneficiaries of this activity were 18 tuberculosis experts from Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain.

The workshop provided the participants with a platform for discussing the latest scientific findings, guidelines and recommendations on active TB case finding and care in migrants. They were able to exchange experiences and good practices from their own countries.

This paved the way for planning on how to overcome technical and organisational challenges in active TB case finding and care in migrants.

The main discussion topics were:

• Policy and guidelines on active TB case finding in migrants;
• Active TB case finding practices in EU/EEA countries;
• Access to care: Legal and regulatory issues related to active TB case finding in migrants;
• Continuity and cascade of care of migrants diagnosed with TB;
• Who to screen;
• How to screen (algorithms);
• Evaluation of screening;
• Latent TB infection screening in migrants;
• Next steps on active TB case finding in migrants in participants’ countries.

At the end of workshop, the participants had gained insight and exchanged e experiences on good practices, as well as clear views on how to overcome the challenges in active TB case finding in migrants.

Background information

The topic “Active TB case finding in migrants” was identified to be of high importance and interest to EU / EEA Member States. The ECDC supports EU/EEA countries in preventing and controlling TB. Through the project ‘Country support for TB elimination in Europe’, ECDC will provide EU/EEA Member States, as well as Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy countries with workshops, exchange visits, trainings and consultancies.  Annually, activities and topics are selected by ECDC following consultation with representatives of EU / EEA Member States.