[Tuberculosis in foreigners from Asian and African countries].

121 patients with active tuberculosis, who recently arrived from Asian and African countries and were admitted to our hospital between 1986 and 1991 for treatment, were clinically reviewed and compared with 177 Japanese patients. The notable features of tuberculosis in these foreigners were relatively short intervals from arrival to onset, in younger population, higher initial antituberculous drug resistance, longer conversion interval, poor compliance with treatment and more frequent dropout cases. Tuberculous pleuritis were happened more frequently in Japanese group, possibly indicating initial infection. It is supposed that many of foreign group were infected in origin countries and reactivated before or after arrival, and it may account for higher initial drug resistance. Only 73% of foreign group were completed standard chemotherapy, where as 88% of Japanese group. Main causes of discontinuation were returning to origin counties and poor compliance. In addition, increasing of illegal stay will need administrative programs for control.