Prevalence of bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis in the Bhutanese refugees in Nepal: Results of active case finding

Approximately 100,000 Bhutanese refugees live in camps in southeastern Nepal. Since December 2007 the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Nepal has conducted medical screening of Bhutanese refugees prior to resettlement in USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark and Norway. Screening for TB included both sputum smears and cultures. The estimated prevalence of all forms of TB was 243 per 100,000 in Nepal (WHO, 2006), and 217 per 100,000 in Bhutanese refugee camps prior to resettlement (UNHCR, 2007).