[Tuberculin skin test (TST) survey among healthcare workers (HCWs) in hospital: a systematic review of the literature].
OBJECTIVE
To summarize the evidence on the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) survey among healthcare workers (HCWs) in hospital, in the last decade.


METHODS
A systematic search was conducted in PubMed and in the Proceedings of the congresses of the Italian Society of Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene (SIMLII); researches conducted in areas with medium-high incidence of Tuberculosis were excluded.


RESULTS
25 publications were identified. The compliance of HCWs to TST surveys ranged from 80 to 100%, the incidence of TST-conversion from 0.07 to 3.7% and the prevalence of positive TST from 5,7 to 57%. TST-conversion and positive TST were significantly associated to BCG vaccination and foreign-born. Most studies found an association between TST-conversion and occupational exposure in certain location (emergency facilities, internal medicine, infectious diseases, intensive care units, pathology, microbiology) and occupational categories (nurses, laboratory technicians). In some studies, period of hospital employment do not increased TST conversion rate.


CONCLUSIONS
Positive TST and TST conversion rate seem to be associated with occupational exposure to Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in hospital, considering non-occupational factors. Evidence from literature seemed to support the use of TST in the tuberculosis screening programme of HCWs in hospital.
Placidi
D
D
Scuola di Specializzazione in Medicina del Lavoro, Università degli Studi di Brescia. placidi@med.unibs.it
Tonozzi
B
B
Alessio
L
L
Porru
S
S
D006801:Humans; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis*