title: In-hospital contact investigation among health care workers after exposure to pulmonary tuberculosis in an intermediate tuberculosis prevalence area: A prospective study.
abstract: We carried out in-hospital contact investigations of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and analyzed the prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among health care workers (HCWs) after TB exposure. A prospective study was conducted of 872 HCWs who were exposed to 55 index cases diagnosed with active pulmonary TB. HCWs after TB exposure were evaluated both TST and chest X-ray at the time of enrollment and 12 weeks after exposure; 625 HCWs (71.6%) underwent both initial assessments; 41 HCWs (6.6%) had a positive TST result. After 12 weeks, 71.1% of HCWs with initial negative TST (n = 415) underwent a second assessment. Ten HCWs had TST conversion. One HCW (0.2%) developed active pulmonary TB. In multivariable analysis, age over 30 years was associated with TST conversion (p = .02). Point prevalence of latent TB was 6.6%, and incidence of LTBI was estimated as 2.4 per 100 HCWs. Strict infection control measures should be emphasized in intermediate TB-burden, BCG-vaccinated countries, especially in HCWs with high risk for TB exposure.
authors.affiliation: a Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine , The Catholic University of Korea , Seoul , Korea.|b Infection Control Team, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital , College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea , Seoul , Korea.
authors.forename: Youn Jeong
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: b Infection Control Team, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital , College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea , Seoul , Korea.
authors.forename: Yoon-Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.affiliation: b Infection Control Team, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital , College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea , Seoul , Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: a Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine , The Catholic University of Korea , Seoul , Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeon Jeong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: c Division of Pulmonary Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine , The Catholic University of Korea , Seoul , Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: a Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine , The Catholic University of Korea , Seoul , Korea.
authors.forename: Yang Ree
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: a Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine , The Catholic University of Korea , Seoul , Korea.|b Infection Control Team, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital , College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea , Seoul , Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Il
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000635:transmission*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055985:Latent Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*
keywords: Health care worker; infection control; tuberculin skin test; tuberculosis