TUBERCULOSIS IN HEALTH CARE WORKERS IN ARGENTINIAN HOSPITALS

Abstract
Objective: Tuberculosis (TB), an airborne transmitted disease represents an occupational preventable risk for health care workers (HCW). TB in HCW and the control measures used were assessed through a national survey in the four year period 2001-2004. Patients and methods: Fifteen hospitals with a total of 15 276 HCW, 3 819 beds and 3 819 TB discharges during 2001-2004 were surveyed. Results: During the studied period 68 cases of TB in HCW were diagnosed (median annual incidence: 111.3/100 000). The occupational TB was more frequent in nurses (51.1% of cases). Pulmonary localization was found in 95.6% of the HCW; 91.2% were bacteriologically demonstrated and 8,1% underwent multidrug-resistant TB. The administrative and environmental biosafety measures and the use of personal respiratory protection and periodical health control of HCW were assessed. A statistically significant difference was found in the TB incidence in HCW among hospitals that not applied biosafety measures. The periodic control was reported in 2/15 hospitals. Conclusion: The annual incidence of TB in HCW is 3.7 times greater than the general population, being affected mainly the nursing personnel. The application of isolation, environmental measures and personal respiratory protection is variable, and in some hospitals inexistent, as well as the periodic health control of HCW. This paper attempts to call the attention of the authorities to hospital health policies and the HCW themselves about this problem in Argentina.

Key words
Tuberculosis, health care workers, biosafety

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