Prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection among health workers in Afghanistan: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background About 26% of the world’s population may have latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Health care workers are a high-risk category because of their professional exposure. Methods This cross-sectional study assessed the LTBI burden among health care workers in Afghanistan, a high-TB-burden country. We selected health facilities using a systematic sampling technique and invited all workers at the targeted health facilities to participate. Participants were interviewed about sociodemographic and exposure variables and received tuberculin skin tests for LTBI. Results Of the 4,648 health care workers invited to participate, 3,686 had tuberculin skin tests. The prevalence of LTBI was found to be 47.2% (1,738 workers). Multivariate analysis showed that a body mass index of ≥ 30 and marriage were associated with an increased risk of LTBI. Underweight (body mass index of ≤ 18 and below) and normal body mass index had no association with increased risk of LTBI. Conclusion LTBI is high among health care workers in Afghanistan. We recommend instituting infection control measures in health facilities and screening workers for timely TB diagnosis.

Changes in the rate of bacillus tuberculosis infection in health workers in the first year of the COVID-19 epidemic in Kashan- Iran

“…In our study, the prevalence of TB infection among hospital personnel was 26.1%. This rate is lower than the prevalence reported in Afghanistan (47.2%) [ 18 ] and India (30%) [ 19 ], but higher than in Riyadh hospitals (4.9%) [ 20 ] and Turkey (1.7%) [ 21 ]. The prevalence in EMRO member countries in 2021 was 41.78% [ 22 ], while among medical personnel in low- and middle-income countries, it was 54% [ 23 ].…”

What Tool for Diagnosis of Latent Tuberculosis Infection in Developing Country with Tuberculosis High Burden: Interferon Gamma Release Assays <i>versus</i> Tuberculin Skin Test in Burkina Faso

“…In several localities, studies have reported that population groups such as health professionals, contacts of index TB cases and slaughterhouse workers, are at risk of latent tuberculosis because of the profession or proximity to suspected tuberculosis cases [18] [19] [20] [21] [22]. In this way, our population consisted in exposed to tuberculosis including: 1) household contacts of TB index cases, 2) health care workers (HCWs) and 3) slaughterhouses workers (SWs) who gave their consent to participate to the study.…”

Active and latent TB screening in recently arrived persons from Afghanistan: feasibility and lessons learned

“…The overall prevalence of LTBI in Afghanistan is unknown, although one study of Afghan healthcare workers found an LTBI rate of 47.2% when using tuberculin skin testing. 5 LTBI is defined as a persistent immunological response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the absence of active TB disease. There are several tests available for LTBI, all of which assess the T cell response to M tuberculosis.…”