ABSTRACT
Background: Hospitals are hazardous environments for the emergence and transmission of tuberculosis. This study was carried out to evaluate the prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection [LTBI] and chest X-ray findings in health care workers [HCWs] with and without LTBI
Materials and Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted in Rasool Akram hospital, Tehran, Iran. One hundred HCWs were tuberculin skin tested to measure LTBI and were asked for Chest X-ray to detect any lesions compatible with active or latent tuberculosis in two groups with and without LTBI. Chest x-ray findings were reported as: calcified nodule, fibrotic lesions, hilar adenopathy, tuberculoma, pleural effusion, and miliary. Statistical significances were analyzed by Chi-squared test. The obtained data were analyzed by SPSS version 16 software
Results: A total of 100 HCWs were included in our study. Tuberculin skin test [TST] was positive in 49 [49%] cases. There was no significant difference between sex and positive tuberculin skin test. Abnormal findings in chest radiography were reported in 9 [9%] cases. There was no significant difference between LTBI and gender [P=0.8]. There was no significant difference between chest x-ray findings and LTBI [P=0.5]
Conclusion: Although nearly half of participants had positive tuberculin skin test, chest abnormality was reported only in nine percent. Specific tests and imaging such as QuantiFERON and chest CT scan seems to be more effective for latent tuberculosis diagnosis than TST among HCWs