Tuberculosis among medical and academic students.

The problem of tuberculosis among college students has been given careful study at many universities and colleges during recent years. The Tuberculosis Committee of the American Student Health Association has reported each year since 1932 on the tuberculosis activities of a large number of institutions located in all sections of the country. Through assistance rendered by the National Tuberculosis Association, the committee contacts each year all accredited colleges in the nation, approximately 880 in number. More than 300 colleges, having a total enrollment of approximately a half million students, are now conducting case finding programs. The detailed reports from these institutions provide a quite accurate picture of the prevalence of tuberculous infection and tuberculous disease among our student population. A continuous program of tuberculosis control has been conducted among students at the University of Pennsylvania since 1931. Normal enrollment of full time students has averaged approximately 6,000. During the 15 year period under review in this report, our case finding activities have been directed as follows: the tuberculin test is applied routinely to all entering men students at the time of the required entrance physical examination. Reactors have chest x-ray inspection within approximately two weeks of enrollment. Entering women students, about 200 in number, are x-rayed without preliminary testing. Upper classmen are urged to have chest films annually. Although this is on a voluntary basis, the response has been excellent. X-ray surveys are conducted at the beginning and toward the close of each school year. A required program has been In effect for three groups of students since the inception of our case finding activities in 1931. Medical students receive especially close supervision throughout all four years of training. At entrance to medical school all students are tested with tuberculin by the Mantoux method employing the two standard doses and each student has a chest x-ray, non-reactors as well as reactors. Non-reactors are retested twice during each medical school year and chest x-rays are provided