Transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to a funeral director during routine embalming.
Several studies have shown that funeral directors have an increased risk of tuberculosis (TB). Although there is indirect evidence of transmission of TB from cadavers to mortuary workers, there is only one recently documented case in the literature. We report here another case of occupationally acquired TB in a funeral director, which was confirmed by conventional epidemiology and genotyping. This case illustrates the risk of TB transmission to mortuary workers from routine embalming of deceased TB patients with active disease.
Lauzardo
M
M
Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Tuberculosis Control and Refugee Health, Gainesville, FL 32641-3699, USA. Michael_Lauzardo@doh.state.fl.us
Lee
P
P
Duncan
H
H
Hale
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular / Q000494:pharmacology; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004615:Embalming / Q000379:methods; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D012293:Rifampin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000635:transmission*
D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular; D012293:Rifampin