Tuberculosis risk among nursing professionals from Central Brazil

Background Health care workers (HCWs), mainly those involved in direct contact with tuberculosis (TB) patients, such as nurses, are at high risk for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Methods During 2001, 128 nursing professionals from an infectious disease referral hospital in Central Brazil wer...

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Published inAmerican journal of infection control Vol. 36; no. 2; pp. 148 - 151
Main Authors Lopes, Lillian K.O., Msc, RN, Teles, Sheila A., PhD, Souza, Adenicia C.S., PhD, Rabahi, Marcelo F., MD, Tipple, Anaclara F.V., PhD
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published St. Louis, MO Mosby, Inc 01.03.2008
Mosby
Subjects
Adult
Bacterial diseases
Biological and medical sciences
Brazil - epidemiology
Epidemiology. Vaccinations
Female
General aspects
Human bacterial diseases
Humans
Incidence
Infection Control
Infectious Disease
Infectious diseases
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Nurses
Risk Assessment
Time Factors
Tuberculin Test
Tuberculosis - epidemiology
Tuberculosis and atypical mycobacterial infections
South America
Brazil
America
Infection
Prevention
Tuberculosis
Risk factor
Bacteriosis
Health care staff
Check
Mycobacterial infection
Nurse
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Summary:Background Health care workers (HCWs), mainly those involved in direct contact with tuberculosis (TB) patients, such as nurses, are at high risk for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Methods During 2001, 128 nursing professionals from an infectious disease referral hospital in Central Brazil were interviewed and underwent a 2-step tuberculin skin test (TST). Afterwards, individuals with negative TSTs were retested annually to determine the incidence density of TST conversion. Results TST positivity was detected in 69.5% of the nursing professionals. Length of professional activity and previous direct contact with TB sputum smear–positive patients were associated with tuberculin positivity ( P < .05). During the follow-up period, an incidence density of 11.5 new TST conversions per 100 person-years was detected. Two individuals developed extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Conclusions The present findings highlight the importance of M tuberculosis infection in HCWs, such as nurses, who are in direct contact with TB patients and ratify the necessity of infection control measures to prevent this infection in health care facilities.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
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ISSN:0196-6553
1527-3296
DOI:10.1016/j.ajic.2007.01.013