Prevalence and risk factors for tuberculosis infection among personnel in two hospitals in Viet Nam
OBJECTIVE: To assess the risk of tuberculosis (TB) infection associated with hospital employment.
DESIGN: During October–December 2009, we performed a cross-sectional study of hospital personnel and, for community comparison groups, staff from nearby schools. We tested for TB infection using the tuberculin skin test; an induration ≥10 mm indicated TB infection.
RESULTS: Of 956 hospital personnel, 380 (40%) had TB infection compared to 40 (26%) of 155 school personnel. Hospital personnel had twice the odds of TB infection compared with school personnel (OR 2.0, 95%CI 1.3–3.0) after adjustment for age and sex. Compared to hospital administrative staff, the odds of TB infection were similar among clinical staff (OR 1.0, 95%CI 0.6– 1.3), clinical support staff (OR 0.9, 95%CI 0.5–1.6) and auxiliary staff (OR 1.1, 95%CI 0.6–2.0) at the hospitals. No additional infection risk was detected in highrisk departments (OR 1.1, 95%CI 0.6–2.0).
CONCLUSIONS: Hospital personnel are at increased risk of TB infection. Among hospital personnel, risk was independent of job or department, suggesting that personnel are commonly at risk and that improvements in infection control are needed throughout hospitals.
Keywords: HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS; INFECTION CONTROL; INFECTIOUS DISEASE; TRANSMISSION; TUBERCULOSIS
Document Type: Research Article
Affiliations: 1: Division of Tuberculosis Elimination Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Epidemic Intelligence Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA 2: National Tuberculosis Program Ministry of Health, Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, Hanoi, Viet Nam 3: LIFE-GAP/VAAC, Ministry of Health, Socialist Republic of Viet nam, Hanoi, Viet Nam 4: CDC/Global AIDS Program, Hanoi; Hanoi School of Public Health, Hanoi, Viet Nam, Viet Nam 5: Hanoi School of Public Health, Hanoi, Viet Nam, Viet Nam 6: Division of Tuberculosis Elimination Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Publication date: 01 December 2011
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