1. Prevalence and risk factors for tuberculosis infection among personnel in two hospitals in Viet Nam
- Author
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Hung Nv, Sy Dn, K M Powell, Vu T, Do K, Oeltmann Je, Han D, Trinh Tt, Whitehead S, and Le Tc
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Tuberculosis ,Tuberculin ,Hospitals, General ,Odds ,Young Adult ,Risk Factors ,Occupational Exposure ,Prevalence ,medicine ,Humans ,Infection control ,Aged ,Schools ,Tuberculin Test ,business.industry ,Viet nam ,Risk factors for tuberculosis ,Skin test ,Middle Aged ,medicine.disease ,Personnel, Hospital ,Cross-Sectional Studies ,Infectious Diseases ,Increased risk ,Vietnam ,Emergency medicine ,Female ,business - Abstract
SETTING Two general hospitals in Viet Nam. OBJECTIVE To assess the risk of tuberculosis (TB) infection associated with hospital employment. DESIGN During October-December 2009, we performed a cross-sectional study of hospital personnel and, for community comparison groups, staff from nearby schools. We tested for TB infection using the tuberculin skin test; an induration ≥ 10 mm indicated TB infection. RESULTS Of 956 hospital personnel, 380 (40%) had TB infection compared to 40 (26%) of 155 school personnel. Hospital personnel had twice the odds of TB infection compared with school personnel (OR 2.0, 95%CI 1.3-3.0) after adjustment for age and sex. Compared to hospital administrative staff, the odds of TB infection were similar among clinical staff (OR 1.0, 95%CI 0.6- 1.3), clinical support staff (OR 0.9, 95%CI 0.5-1.6) and auxiliary staff (OR 1.1, 95%CI 0.6-2.0) at the hospitals. No additional infection risk was detected in high-risk departments (OR 1.1, 95%CI 0.6-2.0). CONCLUSIONS Hospital personnel are at increased risk of TB infection. Among hospital personnel, risk was independent of job or department, suggesting that personnel are commonly at risk and that improvements in infection control are needed throughout hospitals.
- Published
- 2011