Abstract | SETTING: Four general Brazilian hospitals. OBJECTIVE: To assess the occupational risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) in participating hospitals. DESIGN: In phase one of this longitudinal study, a cross-sectional survey documented baseline tuberculin skin test (TST) positivity rates. In phase two, TST conversion rates were evaluated in participants with an initial negative two-step TST. TST conversion data were analyzed to determine risk factors for TB infection using an increase of > or = 10 mm compared to baseline TST. RESULTS: The initial TST positivity rate was 63.1%; the follow-up TST conversion rate was 10.7 per 1000 person-months (p-m). Hospital of employment, recent bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination, nosocomial TB exposure, and employment as a nurse were independent risk factors for TST conversion. Hospitals without TB infection control measures had higher conversion rates than those with control measures (16.0 vs. 7.8/ 1000 p-m, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates an important occupational risk of infection in health care settings with a high TB incidence. Longitudinal TST studies are a valuable tool to assess the occupational risk of TB, even in BCG-vaccinated populations, and should be used to direct limited resources for infection control.
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Authors | V R Roth, D O Garrett, K F Laserson, C E Starling, A L Kritski, E A S Medeiros, N Binkin, W R Jarvis |
Journal | The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease : the official journal of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
(Int J Tuberc Lung Dis)
Vol. 9
Issue 12
Pg. 1335-42
(Dec 2005)
ISSN: 1027-3719 [Print] France |
PMID | 16466055
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Multicenter Study)
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Chemical References |
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Topics |
- Adolescent
- Adult
- Aged
- Aged, 80 and over
- BCG Vaccine
- Brazil
- Female
- Hospitals, General
- Humans
- Longitudinal Studies
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Occupational Diseases
(epidemiology, etiology)
- Occupational Exposure
(adverse effects)
- Personnel, Hospital
- Risk Factors
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
- Tuberculin Test
- Tuberculosis
(epidemiology, etiology, prevention & control)
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