High Tuberculosis Strain Diversity among New York City Public Housing Residents
OBJECTIVES:
We
sought to better understand tuberculosis (TB) epidemiology among New York City
Housing Authority (NYCHA) residents, after a recent TB investigation identified
patients who had the same TB strain.
METHODS:
The study
population included all New York City patients with TB confirmed during 2001
through 2009. Patient address at diagnosis determined NYCHA residence. We
calculated TB incidence, reviewed TB strain data, and identified factors
associated with TB clustering.
RESULTS:
During
2001 to 2009, of 8953 individuals in New York City with TB, 512 (6%) had a
NYCHA address. Among the US-born, TB incidence among NYCHA residents
(6.0/100 000 persons) was twice that among non-NYCHA residents (3.0/100 000
persons). Patients in NYCHA had high TB strain diversity. US birth, younger
age, and substance use were associated with TB clustering among NYCHA
individuals with TB.
CONCLUSIONS:
High
TB strain diversity among residents of NYCHA with TB does not suggest
transmission among residents. These findings illustrate that NYCHA's higher TB
incidence is likely attributable to its higher concentration of individuals
with known TB risk factors.
- 1All authors are with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Bureau of Tuberculosis Control, Queens, NY. Patrick Dawson is also with Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health Department of Epidemiology, New York, NY.
- Am J Public Health. 2016 Mar;106(3):563-8. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2015.302910. Epub 2015 Dec 21.
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