title: Nosocomial tuberculosis in India.
abstract: Most high-income countries implement tuberculosis (TB) infection control programs to reduce the risk for nosocomial transmission. However, such control programs are not routinely implemented in India, the country that accounts for the largest number of TB cases in the world. Despite the high prevalence of TB in India and the expected high probability of nosocomial transmission, little is known about nosocomial and occupational TB there. The few available studies suggest that nosocomial TB may be a problem. We review the available data on this topic, describe factors that may facilitate nosocomial transmission in Indian healthcare settings, and consider the feasibility and applicability of various recommended infection control interventions in these settings. Finally, we outline the critical information needed to effectively address the problem of nosocomial transmission of TB in India.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. madhukar.pai@mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Madhukar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pai
authors.forename: Shriprakash
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kalantri
authors.forename: Ashutosh Nath
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Aggarwal
authors.forename: Dick
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Menzies
authors.forename: Henry M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Blumberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D017053:Infection Control; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional; D008297:Male; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control