Latent Tuberculosis Infection among Healthcare Students and Postgraduates in a Mediterranean Italian Area: What Correlation with Work Exposure?
Adult
Female
Health Personnel
/ statistics & numerical data
Humans
Italy
/ epidemiology
Latent Tuberculosis
/ diagnosis
Male
Mediterranean Region
/ epidemiology
Occupational Exposure
/ statistics & numerical data
Prevalence
Racial Groups
/ statistics & numerical data
Students, Medical
/ statistics & numerical data
Students, Nursing
/ statistics & numerical data
Young Adult
Mantoux skin test
Quantiferon-TB test
latent TB infection
medical and nursing students
occupational biohazard
Journal
International journal of environmental research and public health
ISSN: 1660-4601
Titre abrégé: Int J Environ Res Public Health
Pays: Switzerland
ID NLM: 101238455
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
24 12 2019
24 12 2019
Historique:
received:
28
10
2019
revised:
19
12
2019
accepted:
21
12
2019
entrez:
28
12
2019
pubmed:
28
12
2019
medline:
17
4
2020
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Tuberculosis screening is part of the standard protocol for evaluating the risk of infection in healthcare workers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among students attending various healthcare profession degree courses and postgraduate medical courses at the School of Medicine of the University of Palermo, Italy, and assess the possible professional origin of infection. In total, 2946 students (2082 undergraduates and 864 postgraduates) took part in a screening program for LTBI between January 2014 to April 2019 using the tuberculin skin test (TST). Students with a positive TST result underwent a Quantiferon-TB test (QFT). Among the 2082 undergraduates, 23 (1.1%) had a positive TST; the result was confirmed with QFT for 13 (0.62%) of them. Among the 864 postgraduate students, 24 (2.78%) had a positive TST and only 18 (2.08%) showed a positive QTF. Latent tuberculosis infections were significantly more frequent among postgraduates than undergraduates (2.08% > 0.62%, Latent TB is relatively low among medical school students in our geographic area. Nevertheless, this infectious disease must be regarded as a re-emerging biohazard for which preventive strategies are required to limit the risk of infection, especially among exposed workers.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Tuberculosis screening is part of the standard protocol for evaluating the risk of infection in healthcare workers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among students attending various healthcare profession degree courses and postgraduate medical courses at the School of Medicine of the University of Palermo, Italy, and assess the possible professional origin of infection.
METHODS
In total, 2946 students (2082 undergraduates and 864 postgraduates) took part in a screening program for LTBI between January 2014 to April 2019 using the tuberculin skin test (TST). Students with a positive TST result underwent a Quantiferon-TB test (QFT).
RESULTS
Among the 2082 undergraduates, 23 (1.1%) had a positive TST; the result was confirmed with QFT for 13 (0.62%) of them. Among the 864 postgraduate students, 24 (2.78%) had a positive TST and only 18 (2.08%) showed a positive QTF. Latent tuberculosis infections were significantly more frequent among postgraduates than undergraduates (2.08% > 0.62%,
CONCLUSION
Latent TB is relatively low among medical school students in our geographic area. Nevertheless, this infectious disease must be regarded as a re-emerging biohazard for which preventive strategies are required to limit the risk of infection, especially among exposed workers.
Identifiants
pubmed: 31878124
pii: ijerph17010137
doi: 10.3390/ijerph17010137
pmc: PMC6982061
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Références
PLoS One. 2018 Mar 15;13(3):e0192664
pubmed: 29543810
BMC Infect Dis. 2013 Sep 23;13:443
pubmed: 24059355
Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2010 Jun;14(6):689-94
pubmed: 20487605
Acta Biomed. 2017 Mar 14;88(1S):54-60
pubmed: 28327495
Arch Environ Occup Health. 2017 Mar 4;72(2):99-105
pubmed: 27018614
BMJ Open. 2016 Oct 3;6(10):e012011
pubmed: 27697871
Pneumologie. 2007 Apr;61(4):219-23
pubmed: 17455134
J Clin Microbiol. 2017 May;55(5):1327-1333
pubmed: 28202795
N Z Med J. 2012 Feb 10;125(1349):21-9
pubmed: 22327155
J Prev Med Hyg. 2009 Jun;50(2):96-101
pubmed: 20099439
Infez Med. 2019 Mar 1;27(1):40-45
pubmed: 30882377
BMC Infect Dis. 2010 Dec 10;10:348
pubmed: 21143955
Tuberk Toraks. 2018 Jun;66(2):136-143
pubmed: 30246657
Microbiol Spectr. 2017 Apr;5(2):
pubmed: 28409555
J Prev Med Hyg. 2018 Jun 01;59(2):E172-E175
pubmed: 30083626
Am J Infect Control. 2019 Dec 2;:null
pubmed: 31806237
Respir Med. 2007 Jan;101(1):48-52
pubmed: 16753289
Presse Med. 2017 Mar;46(2 Pt 2):e13-e21
pubmed: 28279508
Epidemiol Prev. 2015 Jan-Feb;39(1):55-8
pubmed: 25855548
Rev Mal Respir. 2018 Jan;35(1):48-54
pubmed: 29129474
J Occup Med Toxicol. 2017 May 25;12:12
pubmed: 28559919
Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2006 Jan;13(1):53-8
pubmed: 16426000
Ann Intern Med. 2017 Aug 15;167(4):248-255
pubmed: 28761946
Open Nurs J. 2015 Feb 27;9:10-4
pubmed: 25852786
BMJ. 2016 Jan 13;352:h6747
pubmed: 26762607