Abstract
Objectives: Estimate the prevalence of LTBI among health professional trainees at a referral hospital in India, using Tuberculin skin test (TST) and Quantiferon TB Gold In-tube, (QFT).
Methods: From November 2009 to February 2011, students in health professional programs (except medical and nursing students) were approached for consent. In addition to a detailed questionnaire on TB exposure, participants underwent TST (10 mm) and the QFT-GIT (0.35 IU/ml).
Results: 164 students completed testing. Mean age was 21.5 yrs, 48.8% were female and 59.15% had BCG. Mean time in health care was 11.5 months, and 21.6% recalled contact with PTB cases. Seventy-nine (48.2%, 95%CI: 40.3-56.1%) were positive by TST, and 38 (23.2%, 95% CI: 16.9-30.4%) were positive by QFT. In a cohort of nursing students from the same institution, prevalence was estimated at 40.3% (TST) and 17.04% (QFT), thus lower than the health professional cohort. Possible explanations include a higher proportion of male students compared with nursing, also present cohort were less likely to own a car or house as compared with nursing students, suggesting lower SES. Multivariate logistic regression showed age was associated with QFT positivity but not TST (OR=1.24, 95%CI: 1.01-1.52). Length of time in health care, family income, direct contact with TB all showed no association with either test. Participating in sputum collection and/or processing showed a trend towards QFT positivity (but not TST positivity), although this did not reach statistical significance (OR=1.1 (95%CI: 0.89-1.4).
Conclusions: LTBI is common among health professional trainees in India, however, risk factors appear to be better correlated with QFT.
- © 2011 ERS
