Tuberculosis in healthcare workers Tuberculosis en el personal de salud

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is an occupational risk hazard that explains 5 to 5.361 additional cases of TB per 100.000 individuals among healthcare workers (HCW) in relation to general population in developing countries. For each clinical case a number of additional infections are occurring, that can be detected by tuberculin skin test conversion among non-BCG vaccinated HCW or by interferon-gamma testing. Risk factors for HCW infection include number of TB patients examined, job characteristics and place of work, delay in diagnostic suspicion, patients with multidrug resistant strains, limited access to appropriate ventilation systems, noncompliance with aerosol dissemination precautions, immune suppressed and/or malnourished HCW. Molecular studies suggest that only 32 to 42% of TB cases among HCW are related to occupational exposure. Useful measures to prevent occupational TB acquisition include a number of administrative-, infrastructure- and personal-related measures that have proven to be s