Screening for tuberculosis among high-risk groups attending London Emergency Departments: A prospective observational study.

Most tuberculosis (TB) cases in low-incidence settings are thought to be due to reactivation of latent TB infection (LTBI) in high-risk populations [1–3]. Assessment of patients at Emergency Departments (EDs) is a potential opportunity to achieve early TB diagnosis, and interrupt transmission. An earlier study in London found that 39% of patients diagnosed with TB had attended an ED in the preceding six months [4]. Of these, 76% had a chest radiograph performed, of which 86% and 40% were abnormal in cases of pulmonary and extra-pulmonary TB, respectively. Attendances at EDs provides opportunity to identify individuals with LTBI, who may be at risk for progression to active disease and unlikely to engage with healthcare services via other routes. Footnotes This manuscript has recently been accepted for publication in the European Respiratory Journal . It is published here in its accepted form prior to copyediting and typesetting by our production team. After these production processes are complete and the authors have approved the resulting proofs, the article will move to the latest issue of the ERJ online. Please open or download the PDF to view this article. Conflict of Interest: Dr. Gupta has nothing to disclose. Conflict of Interest: Dr. Lule has nothing to disclose. Conflict of Interest: Dr. Krutikov has nothing to disclose. Conflict of Interest: Dr. Gosce has nothing to disclose. Conflict of Interest: Dr. Green has nothing to disclose. Conflict of Interest: Dr. Southern has nothing to disclose. Conflict of Interest: Dr. Imran has nothing to disclose. Conflict of Interest: Dr. Aldridge has nothing to disclose. Conflict of Interest: Dr. Kunst has nothing to disclose. Conflict of Interest: Dr. Lipman has nothing to disclose. Conflict of Interest: Dr. Lynn has nothing to disclose. Conflict of Interest: Dr. Burgess has nothing to disclose. Conflict of Interest: Dr. Rahman has nothing to disclose. Conflict of Interest: Dee Menezes does not report any conflicts of interest. Conflict of Interest: Dr. Rahman has nothing to disclose. Conflict of Interest: Dr. Tiberi has nothing to disclose. Conflict of Interest: Dr. White reports grants from Medical Research Council, grants from National Institute for Health Research, during the conduct of the study; grants from National Institute for Health Research, outside the submitted work. Conflict of Interest: Dr. Abubakar reports grants from UK Department of Health, during the conduct of the study.