Epidemiological profile of tuberculosis cases reported among health care workers at the University Hospital in Vitoria, Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the epidemiological profile of tuberculosis cases reported among health care workers in the Tuberculosis Control Program of the Cassiano Antonio of Moraes University Hospital in Vitoria, Brazil.


METHODS
A retrospective descriptive study of secondary data was conducted between 2002 and 2006.


RESULTS
Twenty-five cases of health care workers with tuberculosis were reported: 8 in nursing technicians (32%); 4 in doctors (16%); 3 in nurses (12%); 2 in radiology technicians (8%) and 8 in professionals from other categories (32%). Of those 25 health care workers, 14 (56%) were male and 11 (44%) were female. The incidence of the disease was highest among those from 35 to 39 years of age. The predominant clinical presentation was extrapulmonary (12 cases, 48%), followed by pulmonary (11 cases, 44%) and a combination of the two (2 cases, 8%). Regarding comorbidities, AIDS, alcoholism and smoking, respectively, were present in 33.3% of the study population. Outcomes were as follows: 22 cases of cure (88%); 2 transfers (8%); and 1 death (4%). The proportion of health care workers diagnosed with tuberculosis in the period studied was 2.53%.


CONCLUSIONS
The results show the need for heath care workers who work in the tuberculosis control program to fill out the field "professional occupation" on the tuberculosis case registry database reporting forms. In addition, this situation draws attention to the need to implement an occupational tuberculosis control program.
do Prado
Thiago Nascimento
TN
Epidemiology Laboratory of Núcleo de Doenças Infecciosas da Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil.
Galavote
Heleticia Scabelo
HS
Brioshi
Ana Paula
AP
Lacerda
Thamy
T
Fregona
Geisa
G
Detoni
Valdério do Valle
Vdo V
Lima
Rita de Cássia Duarte
Rde C
Dietze
Reynaldo
R
Maciel
Ethel Leonor Noia
EL
D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult