BACKGROUND: Occupational tuberculosis (TB) in hospital-based health care workers is reported regularly, but TB in community-based health care researchers has not often been addressed. OBJECTIVE: To investigate TB incidence in health care researchers in a high TB and human immunodeficiency virus prevalent setting in the Western Cape, South Africa. The health care researchers were employed at the Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Stellenbosch University. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed of routine information concerning employees at the Desmond Tutu TB Centre. The Centre has office-based and community-based employees. RESULTS: Of 180 researchers included in the analysis, 11 TB cases were identified over 250.4 person-years (py) of follow-up. All cases were identified among community-based researchers. TB incidence was 4.39 per 100 py (95%CI 2.45-7.93). The standardised TB morbidity ratio was 2.47 (95%CI 1.25-4.32), which exceeded the standard population rate by 147%. CONCLUSIONS: TB incidence in South Africa was 948 per 100,000 population per year in 2007; in the communities where the researchers worked, it was 1875/100,000. Community-based researchers in the study population have a 2.34 times higher TB incidence than the community. It is the responsibility of principal investigators to implement occupational health and infection control guidelines to protect researchers.
BACKGROUND:Occupational tuberculosis (TB) in hospital-based health care workers is reported regularly, but TB in community-based health care researchers has not often been addressed. OBJECTIVE: To investigate TB incidence in health care researchers in a high TB and human immunodeficiency virus prevalent setting in the Western Cape, South Africa. The health care researchers were employed at the Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Stellenbosch University. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed of routine information concerning employees at the Desmond Tutu TB Centre. The Centre has office-based and community-based employees. RESULTS: Of 180 researchers included in the analysis, 11 TB cases were identified over 250.4 person-years (py) of follow-up. All cases were identified among community-based researchers. TB incidence was 4.39 per 100 py (95%CI 2.45-7.93). The standardised TB morbidity ratio was 2.47 (95%CI 1.25-4.32), which exceeded the standard population rate by 147%. CONCLUSIONS: TB incidence in South Africa was 948 per 100,000 population per year in 2007; in the communities where the researchers worked, it was 1875/100,000. Community-based researchers in the study population have a 2.34 times higher TB incidence than the community. It is the responsibility of principal investigators to implement occupational health and infection control guidelines to protect researchers.
Authors: Ruvandhi R Nathavitharana; Patricia Bond; Angela Dramowski; Koot Kotze; Philip Lederer; Ingrid Oxley; Jurgens A Peters; Chanel Rossouw; Helene-Mari van der Westhuizen; Bart Willems; Tiong Xun Ting; Arne von Delft; Dalene von Delft; Raquel Duarte; Edward Nardell; Alimuddin Zumla Journal: Presse Med Date: 2017-02-28 Impact factor: 1.228
Authors: Aaron S Karat; Meghann Gregg; Hannah E Barton; Maria Calderon; Jayne Ellis; Jane Falconer; Indira Govender; Rebecca C Harris; Mpho Tlali; David A J Moore; Katherine L Fielding Journal: Clin Infect Dis Date: 2021-01-23 Impact factor: 9.079
Authors: Mareli M Claassens; Cari van Schalkwyk; Elizabeth du Toit; Eline Roest; Carl J Lombard; Donald A Enarson; Nulda Beyers; Martien W Borgdorff Journal: PLoS One Date: 2013-10-02 Impact factor: 3.240