Predicting Airborne Infection Risk: Association Between Personal Ambient Carbon Dioxide Level Monitoring and Incidence of Tuberculosis Infection in South African Health Workers.

ABSTRACT:

Background

High rates of tuberculosis (TB) transmission occur in hospitals in high-incidence countries, yet there is no validated way to evaluate the impact of hospital design and function on airborne infection risk. We hypothesized that personal ambient carbon dioxide (CO2) monitoring could serve as a surrogate measure of rebreathed air exposure associated with TB infection risk in health workers (HWs).

Methods

We analyzed baseline and repeat (12-month) interferon-γ release assay (IGRA) results in 138 HWs in Cape Town, South Africa. A random subset of HWs with a baseline negative QuantiFERON Plus (QFT-Plus) underwent personal ambient CO2 monitoring.

Results

Annual incidence of TB infection (IGRA conversion) was high (34%). Junior doctors were less likely to have a po

SUBMITTER: Nathavitharana RR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9383651 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature