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Global Health Matters

July - August, 2007  |  Volume 6, Issue 4

TB is an Urgent Problem for Health Care Workers in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Tuberculosis (TB) is a significant occupational problem among health care workers in low- and middle-income countries and reduction of that risk should be a priority, according to a study funded by a Fogarty grant.

Relatively simple interventions, such as early diagnosis of TB, segregation of infectious patients, or education and training of health care workers could be effective solutions, according to the study, published by PloS Medicine. Additional low-cost measures might include engineering controls such as exhaust ventilation, improved natural ventilation or sunlight.

A medical trainee examines
a patient in a pulmonary
TB hospital in rural India.

There are several important reasons why the issue should be addressed, the study says. First, occupational TB can lead to the loss of skilled workers, which can adversely impact health-care services in the future. Secondly, transmission of TB can have serious, and even fatal, consequences for patients and care-givers. Finally, implementation of effective TB infection control can promote awareness of disease and the adoption of improved practices for its diagnosis and treatment.

Well-designed field studies evaluating the cost, feasibility, and effectiveness of possible interventions in resource-limited settings are urgently needed, the study says. Funding was provided by a Fogarty AIDS International Training Program award and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Tuberculosis among Health Care Workers in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review. Joshi, R. Reingold AL, Menzies D., Pai M. PloS Med. 2006 December; 3 (12):e494.

To view the article, visit: http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0030494