Abstract

SOTO-CABEZAS, Mirtha Gabriela; CHAVEZ-PACHAS, Ana María; ARRASCO-ALEGRE, Juan Carlos  and  YAGUI-MOSCOSO, Martin Javier Alfredo. Tuberculosis in health workers in Peru, 2013-2015. Rev. perú. med. exp. salud publica [online]. 2016, vol.33, n.4, pp.607-615. ISSN 1726-4634.  http://dx.doi.org/10.17843/rpmesp.2016.334.2542.

Objectives. To describe the characteristics of tuberculosis epidemiology in Peruvian health workers. Materials and methods. A descriptive study was performed. It included all health workers with tuberculosis listed in the national epidemiological surveillance system of the Peruvian Ministry of Health, during 2013, 2014, and 2015. Results. A total of 755 cases of tuberculosis in health workers were reported: 60% worked in hospitals, 28% worked in primary-care facilities, and 12% worked in private facilities. In 57% of the cases, they worked in health facilities in Lima Metropolitan area and Callao. The average age of workers was 38 years (ranging from 19 to 89 years), and 63.6% were women. Of the cases, 6.1% were resistant, mainly multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, 67% of the cases had bacteriological confirmation of pulmonary tuberculosis. Health professionals and technicians represented 82.5% of the cases, and 55.2% corresponded to doctor’s offices, hospital admissions, and emergency rooms, the areas where they worked. Conclusions. Tuberculosis poses a significant work risk for health workers of both public and private facilities. It mainly affects health professionals and technicians providing direct care and assistance to patients in large Peruvian hospitals.

Keywords : Tuberculosis; Health Personnel; Epidemiological Surveillance.

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