TB, not as easy as A BCG

Tuberculosis screening and BCG vaccination in healthcare workers and students

Summary:

With a global shortage of BCG vaccine, occupational physician Paul Grime explains why tuberculosis screening and BCG vaccination of healthcare workers and students is causing concern among NHS OH departments.

UK healthcare workers (HCWs) are not at increased risk of tuberculosis (TB) infection compared to non-HCWs once their country of birth is taken into account1. The apparently higher prevalence of TB in healthcare staff compared with the general population is, in fact, almost entirely explained by higher TB prevalence in the county of origin of many HCWs. But while occupational infection is not itself a significant risk for …

 

Paul Grime is a consultant occupational physician and honorary senior clinical lecturer at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.

 

Author: Paul Grime

Tags healthcare worker immunisation NHS nhs oh services risk assessment vaccine

Occupational Health at Work December/January 2016/2017 (vol. 13/4) pp14–16

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