Prevalence and risk factors of latent tuberculosis infection among health care workers in Malaysia

Background  

Health care workers are exposed to patients with tuberculosis and are at risk of nosocomial infection. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with latent tuberculosis infection among health care workers in Malaysia and also to evaluate the agreement between Quantiferon TB Gold in tube test with Tuberculin Skin Test.     

Risk factors for latex sensitization among health care workers.

Health care workers, children with spina bifida and rubber industry workers show higher prevalence of latex sensitization compared to the general population, and they are considered at-risk groups. Our aim was to establish the prevalence of latex allergy among health care workers at the Clínica Universitaria of Navarra and to analyze potential risk factors, including personal and family history of atopy, sex, as well as factors leading to enhanced exposure to latex, such as being a nurse, belonging to surgical departments, having undergone previous surgery and the number of gloves employed per week. Health care workers (n = 1,150) (doctors, nurses, assistant nurses, laboratory technicians and practicing medical and nursing students) were evaluated using a questionnaire and skin prick test (SPT). Serum specific IgE was determined by CAP-FEIA (Pharmacia, Sweden) in those with positive SPT. The participation index was 26.17%: 301 volunteers answered the questionnaire and underwent SPT. Fifteen subjects presented positive SPT to latex. It was found that 5% of the health care workers from the Clínica Universitaria were sensitized to latex allergens. Thirteen were females and two males. Mean age was 38.4 (+/- 7.09) years. Nine were nurses, three assistant nurses, one nursing student and two medical doctors. Eight belonged to medical, five to surgical and two to laboratory departments. There were no significant differences among the subjects in the prevalence of latex sensitization. Fourteen reported symptoms related to latex, mostly pruritus, dryness and/or redness of the hands (n = 12) and rhinitis (n = 6). Only one subject reported no symptoms when using latex products. Eight were atopic; personal history of atopy was the only significant (odds ratio = 5.10, p < 0.01) risk factor for latex sensitization. It was concluded that atopic health care workers show a more increased risk of latex sensitization than those who are nonatopic.     

Epidemiology of tuberculosis and leprosy, Sabah, Malaysia

The objectives in this epidemiology review are to measure and report the extent of morbidity and mortality due to tuberculosis (TB), the proportion of new sputum smear positive cases in districts and the status of cohort analysis as of 1999. As for leprosy, the main objective is to determine morbidity and the treatment outcomes of Multiple Drug Therapy (MDT). Based on the results obtained, a comprehensive action plan for prevention, control and monitoring of tuberculosis and leprosy cases and patients is being produced and implemented throughout the state. The analysis concentrated on patients diagnosed at all out-patient units and admitted in all of the state's hospitals. The patient particulars were recorded using a standardized format based on TB and Leprosy Health Management Information System (TB HMIS). TB was the second highest by notification of communicable diseases in Malaysia in 2001. 29% or about one-third of the national TB cases are from Sabah. However, it has been noted that there was an average decline of 2.6% in annual notification since 10 years ago to date. There was also a reduction of 11.4% in 2001 as compared to annual notification in 2000. Immigrants contribute more than 24% in detection of new cases since 1990. Treatment success rate in term of completion of treatment to date is 82%. Mortality rate has steadily declined from 14 deaths to 7 deaths per 100,000 population. Leprosy in Sabah also contributes to 30% of the yearly total caseload of Malaysia and has the highest notification rate of 2 per every 100,000 population as compared to other states. The average registered leprosy cases over the past 5 years are 239 cases and the prevalence rate is 0.7/10,000 population. The state has successfully achieved its goal to decrease leprosy as per the World Health Organization (WHO) goal of yearly overall prevalence rate of less than 1 case for every 10,000 population. However, the districts of Kudat, Tawau, Lahad Datu, Kota Kinabalu and Semporna are still within the prevalence rate of more than one per 10,000 population. This review highlights some interesting findings which can be incorporated into the State and Districts action plans and strategies. It is also noted that in order to translate National Plans and Strategies into effective action at the community level, health workers need relevant up-to-date knowledge of the pattern of health and disease, and of their determinants, in each district. The Sabah Health Department continues to organize and support programs related to management and control of tuberculosis and leprosy to progressively reduce the incidence of these diseases in the community by breaking the chain of transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. leprae, respectively.     

Risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and disease among health care workers, Chiang Rai, Thailand.

SETTING: A provincial referral hospital in northern Thailand, where a cross-sectional study during 1995-1996 reported on the occupational risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis transmission. OBJECTIVE: To describe the effectiveness of prevention strategies for nosocomial tuberculosis (TB). DESIGN: A prospective study among health care workers (HCW) including annual tuberculin skin test (TST) screening and active TB surveillance. Following a comprehensive risk assessment, preventive interventions were implemented targeting HCWs, hospitalised patients, and the hospital environment. RESULTS: The number of pulmonary TB cases diagnosed increased steadily from 102 in 1990 to 356 in 1999. The TST conversion rate was 9.3 (95% CI 3.3-15) per 100 person-years (py) in 1995-1997, but declined steadily to 2.2 (95% CI 0.0-5.1) in 1999. HCWs first screened within 12 months of employment had higher TST conversion rates (adjusted RR = 9.5, 95% CI 1.8-49.5) compared to those employed for longer than 12 months. The annual rate of active TB per 100 000 HCWs was 536 in 1995-1999. CONCLUSION: These HCWs were exposed to active TB patients and were at risk for M. tuberculosis infection, particularly during their first 12 months of employment. Implementation of nosocomial TB control measures in 1996 was followed by declining TST conversion rates, despite increasing exposure to active TB patients.     

Prevalence and risk factors for latent tuberculosis infection among health care workers in Georgia.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health problem in Georgia, but few TB infection control measures have been implemented in health care facilities. OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence and risk factors for latent TB infection (LTBI) among Georgian health care workers (HCWs) using two diagnostic tests, the tuberculin skin test (TST) and the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In Tube test (QFT-3G), an interferon-gamma release assay. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted between June and August 2006 among HCWs at the Georgian National TB Program. RESULTS: Of 265 HCWs enrolled, 177 (67%) had a positive TST and 159 (60%) had a positive QFT-3G; 203 (77%) had a positive result for at least one of the tests and 50% tested positive for both tests. There was moderately good agreement between the tests (74%, kappa = 0.43, 95%CI 0.33-0.55). In multivariate analysis, employment for >5 years was associated with increased risk of a positive TST (OR 5.09, 95%CI 2.77-9.33) and QFT-3G (OR 2.26, 95%CI 1.27-4.01); age >30 years was associated with an increased risk of a positive QFT-3G (OR 2.91, 95%CI 1.32-6.43). DISCUSSION: A high prevalence of LTBI was found among Georgian HCWs and longer duration of employment was associated with increased risk. These data highlight the need for effective TB infection control measures and provide important baseline information as TB infection control measures are implemented.     

Tobacco usage among rural Bajaus in Sabah, Malaysia.

As part of a larger study to bring attention to smoking and smokeless tobacco use among the indigenous people of Sabah State in Malaysia, the Bajaus were interviewed in a cross-sectional survey. 74.4% of the men smoked compared to 3.3% of the women and 77% of women used smokeless tobacco compared to 4.3% of men. Local handrolled cigarettes called kirais were popular and smokeless tobacco was used as an ingredient in the ritual of betel-quid chewing. Tobacco was also used because it was thought to have medicinal effects. The prevalence of smokeless tobacco use was significantly lower among the better educated women but for smoking, education had no relation with prevalence. Both habits could be easily maintained as they were cheap practices which were socially and culturally accepted. Awareness of the adverse effects of such tobacco habits was poor and intervention programs to curb tobacco use is required.     

三省市医疗卫生机构工作人员结核病患病及影响因素分析

目的 了解医疗卫生机构工作人员结核病患病情况及影响因素。 方法 于2010年10月至12月,采用《医务人员结核感染控制调查问卷》,按照目的抽样方法,对抽取的北京市、内蒙古自治区和上海市22家医疗卫生机构的5235名医疗卫生机构工作人员进行调查,收集相关信息并分析。 结果 参加调查的5235名医疗卫生机构工作人员肺结核的年均患病率为664.76/10万(174/26 175),涂阳肺结核的年均患病率191.02/10万(50/26 175)。经多元素分析,可认为男性（调整OR=1.9, 95%CI=1.3~2.7, P<0.05）、单位为结核病防治机构（调整OR=1.8, 95%CI=1.1~2.8,P<0.05）或专科医院（调整OR=2.5,95%CI=1.1~3.6,P<0.05）、科室为结核门诊（调整OR=2.3, 95%CI=1.3~4.1,P<0.05）、与结核病患者近距离接触时间15 h及以上（调整OR=2.2, 95%CI=1.1~4.3,P<0.05）、科室无结核病感染控制制度（调整OR=1.7, 95%CI=1.2~2.3,P<0.05）、吸烟（调整OR=2.8, 95%CI=1.2~2.9,P<0.05）可增加医疗卫生机构工作人员患结核病风险。 结论 所调查医疗卫生机构工作人员结核病患病率高,结核感染控制工作不到位,需加强落实结核病感染控制措施,减少结核分枝杆菌感染。     

Risk factors associated with the prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis among sanitary workers in Shanghai

The association between potential risk factors and the prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis was studied in Shanghai Bureau of Sanitation. The study identified a total of 202 cases among 30,289 subjects, and showed that smoking, in particular heavy smoking, had a strong association with tuberculosis after simultaneous adjustment for other factors. Using a multivariate binomial regression, the factors adjusted included the age, sex, history of contact, area of housing and type of work. The relative risk of heavy smokers compared with nonsmokers was 2.17 (95% confidence interval 1.29-3.63). The study showed that although males and old age were associated with a higher risk of tuberculosis than females and young age respectively, these differences were due to the smoking factor. The study also found that the risk of tuberculosis among the subjects with previous patient contacts was twice as high as that among the non-contacts.     

俄罗斯Samara州医务人员结核病发病率上升:登记数据分析

地点：俄罗斯Samara州。目标：比较俄罗斯某地结核病机构医务人员、综合医疗机构医务人员和普通人群的结核病发病率。方法：分析1994-2002年的9年期间结核病机构医务人员、综合医疗机构医务人员和普通人群的结核病登记．率。结果：从1994到2002年，Samara州结核病机构医务人员的结核病发病率比普通人群的发病率高10倍，达到741．6／10万人年。结核病机构住院部医务人员的发病率最高，其发病率与综合医院医务人员发病率的率比为17．7(95％可信区间为11．6-27．0)。结论：俄罗斯结核病机构医务人员的结核病发病率显著上升，提示院内感染的危险很大。控制俄罗斯院内结核病传播是一个需要迫切关注的问题，尤其是俄罗斯目前正面临着人类免疫缺陷病毒的流行。     

Tuberculosis infection among health care workers in Kampala, Uganda.

Nosocomial tuberculosis (TB) is a serious problem in sub-Saharan Africa due to the absence of protective measures for health care workers (HCWs). To determine the prevalence of TB infection among HCWs in Kampala, Uganda, a cross-sectional study was conducted between June and August 2001. A tuberculin skin test (TST) survey was conducted among 396 HCWs from three hospitals within Kampala, The prevalence of TST > or = 10 mm was 57%. Age and department of employment were associated with TST > or = 10 mm, while occupation and BCG status were not. Health care workers in Kampala, Uganda, have a high prevalence of latent TB infection.     

Increased risk of tuberculosis among health care workers in Samara Oblast, Russia: analysis of notification data.

SETTING: Samara Oblast, Russia. OBJECTIVE: To compare the rates of tuberculosis (TB) in health care workers (HCWs) working in TB services, general health services (GHS) and the general population in a region of the Russian Federation. DESIGN: Analysis of notification rates of TB among HCWs, GHS workers and the general population during the 9-year period from 1994 to 2002. RESULTS: During 1994-2002, TB incidence among staff employed at the TB services in Samara Oblast was ten times higher than among the general population, reaching 741.6/100 000 person years at risk. Staff working at in-patient TB facilities were found to be at highest risk, with an incidence rate ratio of 17.7 (95% CI 11.6-27.0) compared to HCWs at the GHS. CONCLUSIONS: HCWs at TB services in the Russian Federation are at substantially increased risk for TB, suggesting significant risks from nosocomial transmission. Control of institutional spread of TB in the Russian Federation is an area that requires urgent attention, especially given the epidemic of human immunodeficiency virus that Russia is currently witnessing.     

Incidence of tuberculosis among health care workers at a private university hospital in South Korea.

SETTING: A private university hospital in South Korea. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the incidence of tuberculosis (TB) among health care workers (HCWs) employed at a university hospital in South Korea. DESIGN: The occurrence of TB cases among HCWs over a 6-year period (2001-2006) was reviewed. The prevalence of TB was compared with that of the general population using a prevalence ratio (PR) adjusted by age and sex. RESULTS: The study involved 8433 people. TB developed in 61 HCWs (0.72%). The prevalence ratio among all HCWs was 1.05 (95%CI 0.80-1.35). In occupational subgroups, the PRs for doctors, nurses and employees in other departments were respectively 0.58 (95%CI 0.30-1.01), 1.81 (95%CI 1.21-2.59) and 0.95 (95% CI 0.58-1.46). For nurses working in TB-related departments, the relative risk of developing TB was 3.4 times higher (95%CI 1.52-8.25) than for employees in other departments (P=0.005). The PR for nurses working in TB-related department was 5.1 (95%CI 3.23-8.42). CONCLUSION: Among HCWs, nurses working in TB-related departments were at increased risk of developing TB. This suggests that some TB develops via in-hospital infection.