Prevalence of Latent Tuberculosis Infection among Paramedical Students in Two Hospitals in Uganda
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Date
2017
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Journal of Research Studies in Medical and Health Sciences
Abstract
The risk of transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to health-care workers in many low and middle-income countries is greater when large numbers of infectious (smear positive) tuberculosis (TB) patients are managed at health facilities. The present study was carried out in Mulago and Gulu teaching hospitals in Uganda among 291 students on the Public Health Dentistry (n=73), Clinical Officers (n=92) and Nursing (n=126) programmes to determine their latent TB infection status. Socio-demographic factors of the participants were recorded and TST induration was read after 48 to 72 hours. Chi-square statistics were used to compare latent TB infection among pre-clinic and clinical year students in different study programmes. About 87% (n=254) of the respondents had Bacillus Calmette–Guérin vaccination skin scar. Of the 291 respondents (response rate, 89.5%), 92.4% developed an induration after TST. The mean diameter of the induration was 12.61 mm (95% CI: 11.95-13.26). A prevalence of latent TB infection (80.4%) with TST induration reading of ≥10 mm was found among the respondents. Significantly more Nursing had an induration ≥10 mm than the Dental (p=0.046) and the Clinical Officer students (p=0.047). The observed prevalence of latent TB infection was high, indicating a high level of transmission of Mycobacteria tuberculosis among the young health worker students, which is a risk to patients under their care. It is important to screen trainees upon entering into the study programmes in order to determine the magnitude of latent TB infection for better policy guidance.
Description
Keywords
Clinical officer, Dentistry, Latent TB, Nursing students, Prevalence, Tuberculin skin test
Citation
Okullo, I., Kaducu, F., Katamba, A., Muwazi, L., Nkamba, M., Kutesa, A., & Rwenyonyi, C. M. Prevalence of Latent Tuberculosis Infection among Paramedical Students in Two Hospitals in Uganda. International Journal of Research Studies in Medical and Health Sciences. http://dx.doi.org/10.22259/ijrsmhs.0204002