A Five-year analysis of latent tuberculosis infection in Queensland, 2016–2020

Authors

  • Marguerite Dalmau Communicable Diseases Branch, Department of Health, Queensland Health, Brisbane. ;National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra.
  • Chris Coulter Communicable Diseases Branch, Department of Health, Queensland Health, Brisbane.; Queensland Mycobacterium Reference Laboratory, Pathology Queensland, Brisbane.
  • Bridget O’Connor Communicable Diseases Branch, Department of Health, Queensland Health, Brisbane.
  • Jennifer Robson Department of Microbiology and Molecular Pathology, Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology, Queensland.
  • Emma Field National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra
  • Stephen Lambert Communicable Diseases Branch, Department of Health, Queensland Health, Brisbane. ;National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra; National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, Westmead.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2023.47.71

Keywords:

latent tuberculosis infection, tuberculin skin testing, interferon gamma release assay

Abstract

Background

Australia is aiming to reach tuberculosis pre-elimination targets by 2035. As a low-incidence setting, control efforts will increasingly rely on the management of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). We undertook this descriptive analysis to assess the recent trends of LTBI testing in Queensland.

Methods

Our objective was to describe the features of LTBI testing in Queensland, and to estimate the range of possible annual notifications were it to be made a notifiable condition. We collated both state-wide and region-specific data on tuberculin skin testing (TST) and interferon gamma release assays (IGRA) conducted in Queensland during the five-year period 1 January 2016 – 31 December 2020. We used reports on Medicare-funded TST and IGRA testing in Queensland, as well as tuberculosis notification data, to understand the representativeness of our data and to derive state-wide estimates.

Results

We analysed 3,899 public TST, 5,463 private TST, 37,802 public pathology IGRA, and 31,656 private pathology IGRA results. The median age of people tested was 31 years; 57% of those tested were female. From our data sources, an annual average of 1,067 positive IGRA and 354 positive TST results occurred in Queensland. Building on this minimum value, we estimate possible latent tuberculosis notifications in Queensland could range from 2,901 to 6,995 per annum. Private laboratory TSTs are estimated to contribute the lowest number of potential notifications (range: 170–340), followed by private laboratory IGRA testing (range: 354–922), public laboratory IGRA testing (range: 706–1,138), and public setting TSTs (range: 1,671–4,595).

Conclusion

If LTBI were to be made notifiable, these estimates would place it among the ten most notified conditions in Queensland. This has implications for potential surveillance methods and goals, and their associated system and resource requirements.

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Published

16/11/23

How to Cite

Dalmau, Marguerite, Chris Coulter, Bridget O’Connor, Jennifer Robson, Emma Field, and Stephen Lambert. 2023. “A Five-Year Analysis of Latent Tuberculosis Infection in Queensland, 2016–2020 ”. Communicable Diseases Intelligence 47 (November). https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2023.47.71.

Issue

Vol. 47 (2023)

Section

Original article

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