Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Tuberculosis en trabajadores de la salud: importancia de los programas de vigilancia y control

2000; Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública; Volume: 42; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1590/s0036-36342000000100009

1606-7916

Luis Ostrosky‐Zeichner, Sigfrido Rangel-Frausto, Elizabeth García-Romero, Alma Olguín Vázquez, Juana Ibarra, Samuel Ponce de León-Rosales,

Health and Medical Education

To describe tuberculosis surveillance results among healthcare workers of a tertiary care center.All medical records of workers from 1992-1998 were reviewed. Demographics, labor, medical history, previous testing, PPD, booster shots and follow-up were analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed with odds ratios, p-values, and 95% confidence intervals. Subgroup analysis were done with chi 2. Kaplan-Meier estimates were used to analyze times to conversion.Surveillance was done in 1617 workers (68% female and 32% male). Mean age was 26.9 +/- 7.6 (15-68) years. Job positions were 30.5% nurses, 14.6% residents and 14.1% interns. Place of origin was Mexico City in 65.8%. BCG vaccination was present in 71.6% and 15.1% had previous PPD. Admission PPD was positive in 39.6%, negative in 48.3% and 12.1% were lost to follow-up. On negatives, 483 booster shots were applied, and 49 additional positives were found. Follow-up was done in 231 workers, of which 100 (43.3%) converted. The mean time for conversion was 22.8 +/- 12.4 months. The conversion rate at twelve months was 20%. Fifty workers received/accepted isoniazid prophylaxis.A high percentage of workers were PPD-positive; booster shots allowed the detection of an additional 10%. A high conversion rate underscores the need to organize tuberculosis control programs in Mexico.