Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and disease in healthcare workers in a tertiary referral hospital in Bandung, Indonesia

BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers (HCWs), especially in high tuberculosis (TB) incidence countries, are at risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and TB disease, likely due to greater exposure to TB cases and variable implementation of infection control measures. AIM: We aimed to estimate the prevalence of tuberculin skin test (TST) positivity, history of TB and to identify associated risk factors in HCWs employed at a tertiary referral hospital in Bandung, Indonesia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from April to August 2018. A stratified sample of the HCWs were recruited, screened by TST, assessed for TB symptoms, history of TB disease and possible risk factors. Prevalence of positive TST included diagnosis with TB after starting work. HCWs with TB disease diagnosed earlier were excluded. Survey weights were used for all analyses. Possible risk factors were examined using logistic regression; adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) are presented. RESULTS: Of 455 HCWs recruited, 42 reported a history of TB disease (25 after starting work) and 395 had a TST result. The prevalence of positive TST was 76.9% (95% CI 72.6–80.8%). The odds increased by 7% per year at work (95% CI 3–11%) on average, with a rapid rise in TST positivity up to 10 years of work and then a plateau with around 80% positive. DISCUSSION: A high proportion of HCWs had a history of TB or were TST positive, increasing with longer duration of work. A package of TB infection control measures is needed to protect HCWs from Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.