Tuberculosis (TB)
TB is a disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This bacterium can attack any part of the body, but it usually attacks the lungs. Data for TB incidence among health care workers come from CDC’s National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHSTP). The NCHSTP maintains ongoing surveillance through the National Tuberculosis Surveillance System. In 2000, CDC reported 16,377 cases of TB; 15,242 of these cases included information about occupation.
Magnitude and Trend
What was the trend of TB incidence in health care workers during 1994–2000?
 | Figure 2-203 Incidence rates of TB in health care workers, 1994-2000. The TB incidence rate in health care workers declined from 5.4 per 100,000 workers in 1994 to 3.7 in 2000. (Note: The TB incidence rate for each year was computed using the number of health care workers as the denominator. This number was obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey for each year.) (Source: CDC [2002c].) |
