Objective:

To know the epidemiology of pulmonary tuberculosis in migrant population.

Material and methods:

We reviewed the databases of cases reported as suspected of pulmonary tuberculosis (TBP), and those confirmed with positive culture.

Results:

According to the medical and radiographic evaluation of 394,482 applicants to emigrate to the United States, 8,775 (2.2%) were suspected, of which, 157 (1.8%) were positive for TBP. In 99%, the suspicion of TBP was by chest X-ray, 1.18% because of HIV and the remaining 0.05% because of clinical data. Of the TBP cases, 86 (54.8%) were males and 71 (45.2%) were females. The average age was 50 years. Eighty-five percent of patients with culture positive had negative smear microscopy. The average incidence rate in the period was 39.8 cases per 100,000 migrants, with a peak of 74.3 in 2013.

Conclusions:

Tuberculosis is a serious public health problem, prevalent in certain population groups and with significant sub-registries, so it is necessary to have adequate resources in all entities of our country, to obtain a prompt and expeditious diagnosis, and to establish a prompt treatment.