Outcome for adult contacts of smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis in the absence of X-ray follow-up: 2000-03.

The effects of the policy change in X-ray follow-up of adult tuberculin-positive close contacts of sputum microscopy positive pulmonary tuberculosis made by the Joint Tuberculosis Committee of the British Thoracic Society in 2000 were monitored prospectively from late 2000 until the end of 2003. No cases in contacts that could have been detected by interval X-rays at three and 12 months were found. The data, on 291 cases, support the abandonment of X-ray follow-up in favour of an 'inform and advise' strategy after an initial normal chest X-ray in this category of tuberculosis contact.