Article

Job-related risk of latent tuberculosis infection in a homogeneous population of hospital workers in a low incidence area.

Occupational Safety and Health Unit, Azienda USL-Bologna Sud, Bologna, Italy.
American Journal of Industrial Medicine (impact factor: 1.63). 01/2009; 52(4):297-303. DOI:10.1002/ajim.20680 pp.297-303
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT Few comprehensive tuberculin surveys were carried out in a homogeneous population of health care workers (HCWs) in a low incidence area to assess the risk of tuberculosis (TB) infection by different occupational groups and units.
Community and occupational factors and tuberculin skin test (TST) reactivity were determined in 1,755 HCWs.
The overall prevalence of tuberculin reactivity was 6%. Predicting factors for TST reactivity were age >47 years (OR = 2.88), history of household TB contact (OR = 2.41), years of work as HCW (OR = 2.57), physician (OR = 1.88), and working in microbiology (OR = 4.94), dialysis/nephrology (OR = 2.00), gynecology/obstetrics (OR = 2.01). In a multiple regression model working in microbiology [OR = 4.16 (1.27-13.6)], dialysis/nephrology [OR = 2.52 (1.36-4.65)], gynecology/obstetrics [OR = 2.46 (1.24-4.86)] and age >47 years [OR = 1.98 (1.14-3.46)] were significant predictors for infection.
A higher risk of latent infection can be demonstrated in well-defined groups of HCWs.

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Keywords

comprehensive tuberculin surveys
 
dialysis/nephrology
 
dialysis/nephrology [OR
 
different occupational groups
 
health care workers
 
higher risk
 
homogeneous population
 
household TB contact
 
latent infection
 
low incidence area
 
multiple regression model
 
occupational factors
 
Predicting factors
 
TB
 
tuberculin skin test
 
tuberculosis
 
units