| Table 6: Risk factors for TB |
|
|
Characteristics associated with higher risk of infection with tubercle bacilli |
|
| Country of origin with high prevalence of TB |
| Aboriginal background |
| Homelessness |
| Substance abuse |
| Time spend in a correctional facility |
| Contact with a person who has TB |
| Older age |
| Travel to a high-prevalence country |
| Health care occupation |
| Other occupational contact with a high-prevalence group (e.g., foreign-born people, aboriginal people) |
|
|
Characteristics associated with higher risk of progression from tuberculous infection to disease |
| HIV seropositivity |
| Diabetes (especially poorly controlled insulin-dependent diabetes) |
| Alcohol abuse |
| Other immunosuppressive illnesses |
| Long-term corticosteroid use (at least 15 mg prednisone per day for longer than 2 weeks) |
| Gastrectomy |
| Intravenous drug abuse |
| Malnutrition |
| End-stage renal disease, particularly if dependent on dialysis |
| Silicosis |
| Radiotherapy |
| Pregnancy or immediate postpartum period |
| Recent tubesculin conversion |
| Old, healed but untreated TB |
