title: [Guidelines for the prevention and control of tuberculosis in health care workers].
abstract: Tuberculosis remains one of the communicable diseases that cause increased morbidity and mortality worldwide. With an incidence rate of 13,04 per 100,000 population, Spain ranks third among the most affected European countries. These data show a tendency to decrease meaning that it may go unnoticed with the potential to miss the appropriate preventive measures in a suspected case. In centers where patients are treated with tuberculosis, health care worker presents risk of transmission. This risk is higher in some areas or work units. The Occupational health physicians' services, which monitorize the health of health care workers, use different strategies in order to prevent and detect tuberculosis infection. The national guidelines include the tuberculin skin test as a screening test for tuberculosis infection with mention of new diagnostic tests based on the in vitro detection of gamma interferon (IGRA) for certain cases. The purpose of this guide is to establish common criteria for IGRA tests, as a supplementary aid to the tuberculin skin test in health care workers, from the evidence available today. Recommendations for its use have been adapted to the different situations faced by the professionals involved in monitoring the health of health workers.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Preventiva, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, España; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Irma
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Casas
authors.affiliation: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España; Servicio de Microbiología, Institut d'Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, España; CIBER Enfermedades Respiratorias, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, España. Electronic address: jadomb@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dominguez
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Prevención de Riesgos Laborales, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat , Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Soledad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Prevención de Riesgos Laborales, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matllo
authors.affiliation: Unitat de Prevenció i Control de la Tuberculosi de Barcelona , Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Neus
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Altet
mesh_terms: D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D059425:Interferon-gamma Release Tests; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016272:Occupational Health; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission
keywords: Gamma interferon; Health care workers; Interferón-gamma; Personal sanitario; Tuberculosis