Prevention of transmission of tuberculosis in hospitals; a survey of practices in Belgium, 1995
| Autor: | M. Wanlin, O. Ronveaux, M. Uydebrouck, B. Jans |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 1997 |
| Předmět: |
Microbiology (medical)
Pediatrics medicine.medical_specialty Tuberculosis Tuberculin Occupational safety and health law.invention Belgium HEPA law Tuberculosis Multidrug-Resistant medicine Humans Response rate (survey) High rate Cross Infection Infection Control Tuberculin Test business.industry Data Collection Questionnaire General Medicine medicine.disease Hospitals Personnel Hospital Infectious Diseases Transmission (mechanics) Emergency medicine business |
| Zdroj: | Journal of Hospital Infection. 37:207-215 |
| ISSN: | 0195-6701 |
| Popis: | In July 1995, a questionnaire survey was made of nosocomial tuberculosis (TB) prevention practices in Belgian hospitals. Of 122 respondents (response rate: 64%), 93% had hospitalized at least one TB patient, and 11% at least one multi-resistant TB case, during 1994. Effective prevention measures were not uniformly applied: only 96% isolated contagious TB patients, and only 84% isolated patients suspected of contagious TB. In six hospitals, TB patients and those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were mixed. Wearing of masks by personnel entering a TB patient's room was routine in 96%, but in only 24% of these was the mask adequate for filtering 1 μm particles. Moreover, some centres made use of seemingly unnecessary measures, for example routine use of disposable crockery (50%) and enhanced room cleaning (66%). Expensive prevention measures were rarely applied: UV lamps in 12%; HEPA filters in air conditioning in 2%. Tuberculin skin testing at some stage of employment was routinely performed by 82% of respondents, but varied according to the type of personnel: doctors and temporary staff were significantly underassessed. Lowest conversion rates among staff were observed in hospital with the least TB admissions but high rates were observed in hospitals of all sizes. The risk of acquiring TB in Belgian hospitals exists and precautions taken to prevent transmission are not sufficient. The situation could be improved by following national guidelines and a general adoption of proven effective practices, and by abandoning expensive and ineffective measures. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|
Full Text from ScienceDirect