Latent TB Infection among Healthcare Workers

• Main Authors: Pei-Ling Hung, 洪珮玲
• Other Authors: Chih-Hung Ku
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2006
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/68111644981978710071

碩士 === 國防醫學院 === 公共衛生學研究所 === 94 === According to the WHO report, nearly one-third of the global population has been infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB). TB was the top one of mortality and morbidity in infectious diseases, respectively. TB is an occupational hazard to the healthcare workers; we thus conducted a cross-sectional study to assess the TB infection prevalence and risk factors among healthcare workers in Taiwan. Study subjects were divided into three groups: high risk, middle risk, and low risk groups. Demographic data, work history, and disease history were collected by using a self-conducted structured questionnaire. Volunteer blood was also collected for diagnosis of TB infection by using QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube assay (QFT-G IT). Multiple logistic regression were used to assess the association of interests, as well to adjust for potential confounders. The prevalence of TB infection was 11.7% (36/307). After adjusting for confounders, we found that work year, shift, and BCG vaccination were associated with TB infection. With an increasing in one year of work, the risk of TB infection was increased 7.9%（OR=1.079, 95%CI=1.029-1.131）. Workers with a shift job had 2.7-times（OR=2.696, 95%CI=1.018-7.142） higher risk of having a TB infection than none. Workers who did not have a BCG vaccination had 7.8-times higher risk of having a TB infection than that of BCG workers（OR=7.822, 95%CI=1.787-34.231）. However, all of the 36 positive workers did not know themselves had a TB infection. Further study should be conducted to identify occupational or non-occupational infection. We referred these 36 positive workers to a clinic for further diagnosis and treatment, and suggested more self protection and few shift work. In addition, a QFT-G IT test was recommended for new healthcare workers.