Occupational Tuberculosis in the Era of Drug Resistance and AIDS

Abstract

The recent resurgence of tuberculosis (TB) in the United States reawakened concern about the risk of occupationally acquired TB. Although health-care workers bear the highest risk from occupational exposures, others at risk include farm workers, those employed in correctional facilities, and those exposed to respirable silica. These occupational groups bear even greater risks in low-income countries, where the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains and the high prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection have converged to create a public health challenge of daunting dimensions. The workplace presents opportunities to prevent and cure TB. Our major challenge is to deliver the benefits of recent and future advances in a cost-effective manner to those most in need.

Key Words:

Tuberculosis - occupational - Mycobacterium tuberculosis - prevention