Not Tb-proof: latent tuberculosis in Kuala Lumpur Hospital health care workers

<span class="paragraphSection"><div class="boxTitle">Abstract</div><div class="boxTitle">Background</div>Health care workers are commonly exposed to tuberculosis (TB) in the workplace, especially in low- and middle-income countries. They are susceptible to latent TB infection (LTBI) which may progress to active infection.<div class="boxTitle">Aims</div>To determine the prevalence and factors associated with LTBI in health care workers in a hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.<div class="boxTitle">Methods</div>A cross-sectional study was carried out among health care workers in Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Malaysia’s largest tertiary public hospital. A two-step sampling procedure was used to obtain a proportionate sample of workers from each hospital department. Those selected underwent a self-administered questionnaire on possible occupational risk factors and a standardized tuberculin sensitivity test (TST). TST induration of ≥15 mm was considered positive for LTBI. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association of possible work factors with LTBI.<div class="boxTitle">Results</div>In the 399 study subjects, the overall rate of LTBI was 46%. The odds of contracting LTBI were higher for staff working in jobs other than management positions, staff in clinical areas as opposed to non-clinical areas, staff working for ≥5 years compared with those working for shorter periods and staff with diagnosed diabetes mellitus or other chronic diseases compared with those without.<div class="boxTitle">Conclusions</div>LTBI point prevalence was nearly 50% in health care workers at Malaysia’s major tertiary hospital. Our results suggest that there may be additional LTBI risk factors for health care workers and these at-risk populations should have regular screening.</span>

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