Factors influencing the higher incidence of tuberculosis among migrants and ethnic minorities in the UK

• DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.14476.2
• Publication Date: 2018-08-20T14:15:10Z
• Authors: Sally Hayward; Rosalind M. Harding; Helen McShane; Rachel Tanner
• Keywords: Vulnerability

Migrants and ethnic minorities in the UK have higher rates of tuberculosis (TB) compared with general population. Historically, much disparity incidence between UK-born migrant populations has been attributed to differential pathogen exposure, due migration from high-incidence regions transnational connections maintained TB endemic countries birth or origin. However, focusing solely on exposure fails address relatively high progression active disease observed some latently infected individuals. A range factors that disproportionately affect migrants minorities, including genetic susceptibility, vitamin D deficiency co-morbidities such as diabetes mellitus HIV, also increase vulnerability infection Mycobacterium (M.tb) reactivation latent infection. Furthermore, socio-economic disparities experience itself may contribute differences incidence, well cultural structural barriers accessing healthcare. In this review, we discuss both biological anthropological influences relating risk development disease, access treatment for UK.