title: Housekeeping health care workers have the highest risk for tuberculin skin test conversion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Not all health care workers (HCWs) are at the same risk for tuberculin skin test (TST) conversion, indicating latent tuberculosis (TB) infection.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify risk factors for TST conversion among HCWs.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cohort study conducted at a tertiary university medical centre included every HCW who had had a negative two-step TST at work entry and at least one consecutive TST in the period 2005-2009 (mean follow-up period 55 months). Binomic logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for TST conversion. Potential risk factors such as age, health care profession, patient exposure profile, workplace division and history of bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccination were entered in the model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 450 subjects met the inclusion criteria, of whom 93 had TST conversion. The highest annual rates of TST conversion occurred in workers who worked as housekeeping staff (6.9%). Older age, a work environment with high patient turnover and employment in maintenance departments were significant risk factors (adjusted odds ratios 2.05, 5.2 and 8.4 respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Housekeeping staff, older age workers and health care professionals working in an environment of high patient turnover are at increased risk for latent TB infection.
authors: Department of Medicine, Ben-Gurion University Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
authors: H A
authors: HA
authors: Sherman
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Karakis
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Heimer
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Arzt
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Goldstein
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Bouhnik
authors: M N
authors: MN
authors: Maimon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006797:Housekeeping, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055985:Latent Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014374:Tuberculin Test / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000078329:Workforce
chemical_list: D001500:BCG Vaccine