Booster Effect of Two-Step Tuberculin Skin Testing Among Hospital Employees From Areas With a High Prevalence of Tuberculosis

2004 ◽  
Vol 25 (12) ◽  
pp. 1117-1120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulrahman M. Al Mazrou

AbstractDuring a baseline survey of TST, 236 nurses underwent a two-step TST. Overall, 29 (12%) showed boosting. All age groups showed boosting; the rate was 9.7% in those younger than 35 years. Subjects older than 45 years were more likely to have a booster effect than younger individuals (29% vs 10.1%).

2002 ◽  
Vol 23 (10) ◽  
pp. 584-590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lian-HuatTan ◽  
Adeeba Kamarulzaman ◽  
Chong-Kin Iiam ◽  
Toong-Chow Lee

Objectives:To determine the occupational risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection among healthcare workers (HCWs) and to examine the utility of tuberculin skin testing in a developing country with a high prevalence of bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccination.Design:Tuberculin skin test (TST) survey.Setting:A tertiary-care referral center and a teaching hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.Participants:HCWs from medical, surgical, and orthopedic wards.Intervention:Tuberculin purified protein derivative RT-23 (State Serum Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark) was used for the TST (Mantoux method).Results:One hundred thirty-seven (52.1%) and 69 (26.2%) of the HCWs tested had indurations of 10 mm or greater and 15 mm or greater, respectively. Medical ward HCWs were at significantly higher risk of a positive TST reaction than were surgical or orthopedic ward HCWs (odds ratio, 2.18; 95% confidence interval, 1.33 to 3.57; P = .002 for TST positivity at 10 mm or greater) (odds ratio, 2.61; 95% confidence interval, 1.44 to 4.70; P = .002 for TST positivity at 15 mm or greater). A previous TST was a significant risk factor for a positive TST reaction at either 10 mm or greater or 15 mm or greater, but a duration of employment of more than 1 year and being a nurse were only significantly associated with a positive TST reaction at a cut-off point of 15 mm or greater.Conclusions:HCWs at the University of Malaya Medical Centre had an increased risk for M. tuberculosis infection that was significantly associated with the level of occupational tuberculosis exposure. A TST cut-off point of 15 mm or greater may correlate better with M. tuberculosis infection than a cut-off point of 10 mm or greater in settings with a high prevalence of bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccination (Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2002;23:584-590).


1997 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 248-251
Author(s):  
Jennifer H Tran ◽  
John D Seeger

Objective: To review the literature discussing the use of two-step tuberculin skin testing for hospital employees. Data Sources: English-language journal articles involving human subjects. Study Selection: Selected articles describing the use of two-step tuberculin skin testing. Data Extraction: Information relevant to the topic was extracted from the articles and synthesized into this report. Data Synthesis: People infected with tuberculosis exhibit a skin-test reaction to tuberculin, but this reaction can diminish over time. A two-step tuberculin skin test involves the administration of a second injection of tuberculin 1–3 weeks after the initial injection. The rationale for the use of the two-step tuberculin skin test is to help differentiate between individuals with new tuberculosis infections and those with previous infections whose immune response to tuberculin had decreased to levels not detectable with a single skin test. Conclusions: Two-step tuberculin skin testing is effective at detecting a booster effect. Despite the recent mandate by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to use two-step tuberculin testing in all healthcare facilities, such testing may not be cost-effective in institutions with young employees, high employee turnover, and a low risk of tuberculosis. The requirements for universal two-step tuberculin testing may need to be reevaluated to account for these factors.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. 1015-1027
Author(s):  
Mohammad Bagherniya ◽  
Zahra Khorasanchi ◽  
Mina S. Bidokhti ◽  
Gordon A. Ferns ◽  
Mitra Rezaei ◽  
...  

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is a common medical condition worldwide. In Iran, it has been reported that between 30-90% of people have vitamin D deficiency. However, its distribution in different parts of the country and among different age and regional groups is unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to review the recent literature on vitamin D deficiency in Iran. Methods: The literature review was performed using Web of Science, PubMed-Medline, Scopus and Scientific Information Database (SID) with a cut-off date of November 2016 to identify articles on vitamin D status in Iran published in the last 10 years. Studies in English and Persian that reported vitamin D levels in male and female subjects of all age groups and in healthy populations were included. Results: From 325 studies that were initially retrieved, 82 articles met the inclusion criteria. A high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was reported, and in some regions, this was reported as >90% and was found in all age groups and in all regions of Iran. Conclusion: This review highlights the very high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Iran. It will be important to recognize the importance of vitamin D deficiency as a major public health problem in Iran.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1670
Author(s):  
Gerald Reiner ◽  
Josef Kuehling ◽  
Frederik Loewenstein ◽  
Mirjam Lechner ◽  
Sabrina Becker

Tail biting is a prevalent and undesirable behaviour in pigs and a major source of significant reduction in well-being. However, focusing on biting considers only one part of the solution, because tail damage can be found with a high prevalence without any action by other pigs. The lesions are not limited to the tail but can also be found in the ears, heels, soles, claw coronary bands, teats, navel, vulva, and face. Environmental improvement alone often fails to overcome the problem. This review addresses a new inflammation and necrosis syndrome in swine (SINS). It shows the clinical signs and the frequencies of occurrence in different age groups. It compiles scientific evidence from clinical and histopathological studies in newborn piglets that argue for a primary endogenous aetiology of the disease. Bringing together the findings of a broad body of research, the possible mechanisms leading to the disease are identified and then discussed. This part will especially focus on microbe-associated molecular patterns in the circulation and their role in activating defence mechanisms and inflammation. Finally, the methods are identified to ameliorate the problem by optimizing husbandry and selecting a suitable breeding stock.


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