http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21390421

Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2011 Jan;29(1):57-60.

Tuberculosis transmission across the United States-Mexico border.

Fitchett JR, Vallecillo AJ, Espitia C.

Source

Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK. joseph.fitchett@doctors.org.uk

Abstract

In this era of increasing drug resistance among infectious diseases such as tuberculosis (TB), the complex population dynamics of border areas must be monitored more extensively. TB remains a major public health threat; its antimicrobial treatment is long; and the only vaccine licensed in the world, live-attenuated Mycobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), exhibits varying efficacy. In addition to epidemiological surveillance, the underlying determinants contributing to the health and wellbeing of populations are of key importance. Although it received heightened attention in the past, tuberculosistransmission in the United States-Mexico border area demands renewed interest. Lessons learned should be applied to similar areas around the globe.