Work

Tuberculosis cases among Ukrainian migrants in Finland, 2022-2024

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Background Since February 2022, over 70,000 people from Ukraine requested temporary protection in Finland. While tuberculosis (TB) notification rate in Finland is low (3/100,000), it is approximately 100/100,000 in Ukraine. Around 30% of TB strains in Ukraine are multidrug-resistant (MDR), compared to 3% in Finland in 2021. As Finland's screening strategy includes all recipients of temporary protection, on a voluntary base, we aimed to calculate the actual TB notification rate and assess MDR prevalence among Ukrainian migrants. Methods We conducted a retrospective, register-based cohort study including all TB cases reported to the Finnish National Infectious Disease Register and Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from the national reference laboratory between 01.01.2022 and 31.12.2024. We identified and described cases among Ukrainian migrants and compared resistance profiles to cases from other origins using Fisher's exact test. Observed cases were compared to WHO estimates. Results We identified 43 TB cases among Ukrainian migrants (notification rate: 61/100,000), representing 8% of the 560 total notifications. This was 15 (54%) more than the WHO estimate of 28 cases, based on an assumed incidence of 40/100,000. Most variables had missing data. Half of the cases with known detection mode (18/36) were diagnosed through screening; 89% (16/18) of these had pulmonary TB. Among cases with resistance data (n = 28), eight (29%) were MDR and three were also resistant to fluoroquinolones (pre-XDR). MDR prevalence was significantly higher than in cases with other origins (10/517, 2.6%, p < 0.001). Conclusions TB notification rates among Ukrainian migrants exceeded WHO estimates, supporting the need for comprehensive screening of all displaced persons. The high MDR-TB prevalence highlights the need for drug resistance surveillance and tailored care. Data completeness in the surveillance system should be improved. Key messages • We found high TB notification rates among Ukrainian migrants in Finland, which support comprehensive screening for all displaced persons to ensure early detection and care. • The high prevalence of MDR-TB strains underscores the need for continuing systematic drug resistance surveillance and tailored treatment in Finland.

Source: European Journal of Public Health

DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckaf161.557