[A study of the tuberculous infection in adults].
Tuberculous infection in adults is not a well known entity in our country, despite its epidemiological importance. We have designed an observational study in a homogeneous group of adult civil servants of Catalonia (n = 8,202) from 20 to 54 years old that were submitted to a health examination which included a tuberculin test, in order to study the tuberculous infection in these people and to evaluate the factors associated with this infection.


RESULTS
The global prevalence of reactivity in tuberculin test was 22.36% and the prevalence of the tuberculous infection was 14.76%. The factors related to the tuberculous infection were the following: age, male sex, background of exposure to sources of contagion, and previous BCG vaccination.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of tuberculous infection in adults has declined, and is currently greater in men than women, among patients who recognize previous contact with a tuberculous patient, and among patients with previous BCG vaccination.
Alcaide Megías
J
J
Dirección General de Salud Pública del Departamento de Sanidad y Seguridad Social. Barcelona. Spain. 4862jam@comb.es
Altet Gómez
M N
MN
Canela-Soler
J
J
Pina Gutiérrez
J M
JM
Milà Augé
C
C
de Souza Galvao
M L
ML
Jiménez Fuentes
A
A
Solsona Peiró
J
J
Ventosa Rodón
J
J
Salleras Sanmartí
L
L
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015995:Prevalence; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014373:Tuberculin / Q000276:immunology; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology
C016603:Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen 5; D014373:Tuberculin