Tuberculosis outbreak in a pre-primary and primary school in Barcelona, Spain
Por:
Prieto-García, R, Millet, JP, Broto, C, Lara, E, Espiau, M, Soriano-Arandes, A, de Souza-Galvao, ML, Jiménez-Fuentes, MA, Domingo, C, Vallverdú, RMV, Saludes, V, Bordoy, AE, Hesketh-Best, PJ, Yagüe, DP, Martró, E, Mestre, LG, Torres, ES, Alguacil, HM, Espinilla, ML, Cardona, PJ, Simón, P, Rius, C
Publicada:
1 abr 2026
Ahead of Print:
1 abr 2026
Resumen:
Background In June 2022, a case of non-bacillary pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) was reported in a 10-year-old girl attending a primary school in Barcelona. A second pediatric case from the same school was identified in October 2022, prompting the declaration of a TB outbreak and the initiation of an epidemiological investigation.Methods Contact tracing was conducted using the concentric circles approach, targeting household contacts, classmates, and school staff. Tuberculin skin tests were administered and read 72 h later. Whole genome sequencing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates was performed to identify potential source cases and transmission chains.Results Among 218 individuals screened, 30 TB infections and 4 TB disease cases were diagnosed. The highest prevalence occurred in grades EP4 and EP5 (ages 9-10), with a significantly higher risk compared to other grades. No adult cases linked to the school were identified. Later, a genomic cluster of 15 cases was detected across Catalonia, suggesting a super-spreading event. However, no direct epidemiological link to the school was established.Conclusions This outbreak highlights the challenges of TB detection in pediatric populations and the importance of genomic surveillance in tracing transmission. Despite extensive investigation, the source remains unidentified, underscoring the complexity of TB dynamics in urban settings.
Filiaciones:
Prieto-García, R:
Univ Pompeu Fabra, Dept Expt Sci & Salut DCEXS, Barcelona, Spain
Agencia Salut Publ Barcelona ASPB, Serv Epidemiol SEPID, Barcelona, Spain
Inst Recerca St Pau IIB St Pau, Barcelona, Spain
Biomed Res Consortium Epidemiol & Publ Hlth Networ, Madrid, Spain
Millet, JP:
Agencia Salut Publ Barcelona ASPB, Serv Epidemiol SEPID, Barcelona, Spain
Inst Recerca St Pau IIB St Pau, Barcelona, Spain
Biomed Res Consortium Epidemiol & Publ Hlth Networ, Madrid, Spain
Broto, C:
Inst Catala Salut, Ctr Salut Int & Malalties Transmissibles Drassanes, Unitat TB Drassanes Vall Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
Lara, E:
Inst Catala Salut, Ctr Salut Int & Malalties Transmissibles Drassanes, Unitat TB Drassanes Vall Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
Espiau, M:
Inst Catala Salut, Ctr Salut Int & Malalties Transmissibles Drassanes, Unitat TB Drassanes Vall Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
Hosp Univ Vall Hebron, Unitat Patol Infectosa & Immunodeficiencies Pediat, Barcelona, Spain
Soriano-Arandes, A:
Inst Catala Salut, Ctr Salut Int & Malalties Transmissibles Drassanes, Unitat TB Drassanes Vall Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
Hosp Univ Vall Hebron, Unitat Patol Infectosa & Immunodeficiencies Pediat, Barcelona, Spain
de Souza-Galvao, ML:
Inst Catala Salut, Ctr Salut Int & Malalties Transmissibles Drassanes, Unitat TB Drassanes Vall Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
Jiménez-Fuentes, MA:
Inst Catala Salut, Ctr Salut Int & Malalties Transmissibles Drassanes, Unitat TB Drassanes Vall Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
Domingo, C:
Agencia Salut Publ Barcelona ASPB, Serv Epidemiol SEPID, Barcelona, Spain
Inst Recerca St Pau IIB St Pau, Barcelona, Spain
Vallverdú, RMV:
Serv Vigilancia Epidemiol & Resposta Emergencies S, Tarragona, Spain
Saludes, V:
Biomed Res Consortium Epidemiol & Publ Hlth Networ, Madrid, Spain
Inst Recerca & Hosp Germans Trias & Pujol IGTP, Lab Clin Metropolitana Nord, Serv Microbiol, Barcelona, Spain
Autonomous Univ Barcelona, Dept Genet & Microbiol, Barcelona, Spain
Bordoy, AE:
Biomed Res Consortium Epidemiol & Publ Hlth Networ, Madrid, Spain
Inst Recerca & Hosp Germans Trias & Pujol IGTP, Lab Clin Metropolitana Nord, Serv Microbiol, Barcelona, Spain
Hesketh-Best, PJ:
Inst Recerca & Hosp Germans Trias & Pujol IGTP, Lab Clin Metropolitana Nord, Serv Microbiol, Barcelona, Spain
Yagüe, DP:
Biomed Res Consortium Epidemiol & Publ Hlth Networ, Madrid, Spain
Inst Recerca & Hosp Germans Trias & Pujol IGTP, Lab Clin Metropolitana Nord, Serv Microbiol, Barcelona, Spain
Autonomous Univ Barcelona, Dept Genet & Microbiol, Barcelona, Spain
Martró, E:
Biomed Res Consortium Epidemiol & Publ Hlth Networ, Madrid, Spain
Inst Recerca & Hosp Germans Trias & Pujol IGTP, Lab Clin Metropolitana Nord, Serv Microbiol, Barcelona, Spain
Autonomous Univ Barcelona, Dept Genet & Microbiol, Barcelona, Spain
Mestre, LG:
Dept Salut Generalitat Catalonia, Secretary Publ Hlth, Serv Prevencio Control TB & Programes Especif, Subdireccio Gen Vigilancia & Resposta Emergencies, Barcelona, Spain
Torres, ES:
Dept Salut Generalitat Catalonia, Secretary Publ Hlth, Serv Prevencio Control TB & Programes Especif, Subdireccio Gen Vigilancia & Resposta Emergencies, Barcelona, Spain
Alguacil, HM:
Dept Salut Generalitat Catalonia, Secretary Publ Hlth, Serv Prevencio Control TB & Programes Especif, Subdireccio Gen Vigilancia & Resposta Emergencies, Barcelona, Spain
Espinilla, ML:
Dept Salut Generalitat Catalonia, Secretary Publ Hlth, Serv Prevencio Control TB & Programes Especif, Subdireccio Gen Vigilancia & Resposta Emergencies, Barcelona, Spain
Cardona, PJ:
Inst Recerca & Hosp Germans Trias & Pujol IGTP, Lab Clin Metropolitana Nord, Serv Microbiol, Barcelona, Spain
Autonomous Univ Barcelona, Dept Genet & Microbiol, Barcelona, Spain
Carlos III Hlth Inst, CIBER Resp Dis CIBERES, Madrid, Spain
Simón, P:
Agencia Salut Publ Barcelona ASPB, Serv Epidemiol SEPID, Barcelona, Spain
Inst Recerca St Pau IIB St Pau, Barcelona, Spain
Biomed Res Consortium Epidemiol & Publ Hlth Networ, Madrid, Spain
Rius, C:
Univ Pompeu Fabra, Dept Expt Sci & Salut DCEXS, Barcelona, Spain
Agencia Salut Publ Barcelona ASPB, Serv Epidemiol SEPID, Barcelona, Spain
Inst Recerca St Pau IIB St Pau, Barcelona, Spain
Biomed Res Consortium Epidemiol & Publ Hlth Networ, Madrid, Spain
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