Pulmonary tuberculosis, a neglected disease, has long been a public health problem. In 2023, approximately 10. 8 million people worldwide developed tuberculosis. In Brazil, 804, 308 new TB cases were identified in 2024. Depending on individual characteristics, a patient may develop active disease or maintain latent infection (LTBI). Although lymphoma patients are listed nationally as a risk group warranting LTBI screening, this is not routine practice despite their higher risk of disease and mortality. To identify the prevalence of LTBI in patients with lymphoma. Prospective, descriptive study collecting sociodemographic data from patients ≥ 18 years with lymphoma at a tertiary university hospital in São Paulo state, including blood IGRA testing. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate general characteristics. A total of 133 patients were included, mean age 57 years; most were male (54. 5%), white (68. 9%), married (59. 8%), with children (76. 5%) and family income up to R 5, 000 (71. 2%). Among participants, 25% were current or former smokers. LTBI prevalence was 20. 5%, more prevalent among men (66. 7%) and non-smokers (81. 5%). Common comorbidities included secondary hypertension (18. 5%), hypothyroidism (18. 5%), anemia (18. 5%) and diabetes mellitus (18. 5%). Most lymphoma diagnoses occurred from 2020 onward (n = 54). Ten patients (7. 52%) had undergone HSCT, and eight (6. 01%) had relapsed disease. Preliminary data demonstrated a high LTBI prevalence in this population, with no literature describing similar findings in other countries. Given the prevalence and risk of complications such as death, public health policies should encourage LTBI screening and appropriate treatment in both public and private healthcare settings.
Filho et al. (2026) studied this question.