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VOLUME 55 , ISSUE 3 ( July-September, 2013 ) > List of Articles

REVIEW ARTICLE

Tuberculosis Risk in Health Care Workers

D. J. Christopher, Balamugesh Thangakunam

Keywords : Tuberculosis, Nosocomial transmission, Health care workers

Citation Information : Christopher DJ, Thangakunam B. Tuberculosis Risk in Health Care Workers. Indian J Chest Dis Allied Sci 2013; 55 (3):149-154.

DOI: 10.5005/ijcdas-55-3-149

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 16-06-2022

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2013; The Author(s).


Abstract

Risk to health care workers (HCW) is of paramount importance in the global fight against tuberculosis (TB). There is mounting evidence that they are at increased risk of contracting TB infection as well as developing the disease. This occupational risk is at alarming proportions in the low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), because of increased exposure and lack of preventive measures. Although tuberculin skin test has been used for a long time to detect latent TB infection (LTBI), it has significant drawbacks. Interferon-gamma release assays arrived with a lot of promise, but the expected benefit of more specific diagnosis has not yet been proved. The treatment of LTBI is an area, which is not well studied in LMIC. Effective environmental and personal protective measures along with education to the patients and the HCW needs to be carried out expeditiously, to reduce the occupational risk of TB.


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