Management of Latent Tuberculosis in Iran

Although screening, finding and treatment of active cases of tuberculosis is very important for control of disease in the community, for reaching to the goals planed by world health organization and approaching to elimination of the disease, it is necessary to find and treat persons with latent infection. Concerning to high prevalence of latent TB in developing countries and resource limitations, priorities should be assigned to infected persons with higher probability for conversion to active disease. These high risk groups are: close contacts of active TB, HIV infected persons, patients under treatment of anti-TNF drugs, candidates of organ transplantation, under dialysis patients, and cases of silicosis. In this article we review definitions, indications and details about diagnosis and treatment of latent TB in Iran in accordance to national TB program.