SETTING: Tuberculin skin test (TST) survey of health care workers (HCWs) in selected clinical services in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether HCWs in Abidjan are at increased risk for occupationally acquired Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. DESIGN: From October 1996 to January 1997, consenting HCWs from four services where tuberculosis (TB) prevalence among patients was high and two services where it was low were evaluated with a questionnaire, TST (including evaluation of anergy) and chest radiograph. RESULTS: Of the 512 participants, 405 (79%) had a TST reaction of > or =10 mm, eight (2%) were anergic, five (1%) had a radiograph compatible with TB, and two had confirmed TB. Using a cut-off of 10 mm, we found a higher prevalence of TST positivity in services with high TB prevalence than in those with low TB prevalence (92% vs 72%; odds ratio [OR] 4.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.3-8.0]) and among HCWs with direct (87%; OR 2.9; 95%CI 1.6-5.1) and indirect patient contact (80%, OR 1.7; 95%CI 1.0-2.3) than among those with minimal patient contact (69%). CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that TST positivity among HCWs is related to level of exposure to TB patients, and suggest that HCWs in Abidjan are at risk for the nosocomial transmission of TB.
SETTING: Tuberculin skin test (TST) survey of health care workers (HCWs) in selected clinical services in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether HCWs in Abidjan are at increased risk for occupationally acquired Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. DESIGN: From October 1996 to January 1997, consenting HCWs from four services where tuberculosis (TB) prevalence among patients was high and two services where it was low were evaluated with a questionnaire, TST (including evaluation of anergy) and chest radiograph. RESULTS: Of the 512 participants, 405 (79%) had a TST reaction of > or =10 mm, eight (2%) were anergic, five (1%) had a radiograph compatible with TB, and two had confirmed TB. Using a cut-off of 10 mm, we found a higher prevalence of TST positivity in services with high TB prevalence than in those with low TB prevalence (92% vs 72%; odds ratio [OR] 4.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.3-8.0]) and among HCWs with direct (87%; OR 2.9; 95%CI 1.6-5.1) and indirect patient contact (80%, OR 1.7; 95%CI 1.0-2.3) than among those with minimal patient contact (69%). CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that TST positivity among HCWs is related to level of exposure to TB patients, and suggest that HCWs in Abidjan are at risk for the nosocomial transmission of TB.
Authors: Guang Xue He; Susan van denHof; Marieke J van der Werf; Guo Jie Wang; Shi Wen Ma; Dong Yang Zhao; Yuan Lian Hu; Shi Cheng Yu; Martien W Borgdorff Journal: BMC Infect Dis Date: 2010-10-28 Impact factor: 3.090
Authors: Claude Rutanga; David W Lowrance; John E Oeltmann; Grace Mutembayire; Matt Willis; Claude Bernard Uwizeye; Ruton Hinda; Chitou Bassirou; Steve Gutreuter; Michel Gasana Journal: PLoS One Date: 2015-04-28 Impact factor: 3.240