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Outbreak column 21: Tuberculosis (TB): Still a nosocomial threat
1School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Independent Infection Prevention Nurse Consultant, Glasgow, UK.
Journal of Infection Prevention
|May 26, 2018
Summary
Current UK national guidance inadequately prepares hospitals to prevent tuberculosis (TB) transmission. This infectious disease poses a risk to anyone exposed, necessitating stronger infection control measures in healthcare settings.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- Public Health Policy
- Hospital Infection Prevention
Background:
- Tuberculosis (TB) is a significant infectious disease with historical nosocomial transmission.
- While often associated with specific social factors, TB can infect any sufficiently exposed individual.
- Emerging drug-resistant TB strains may increase future transmission risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the adequacy of current UK national guidance for preventing nosocomial TB transmission.
- To identify deficiencies in existing infection prevention strategies within UK hospitals.
- To compare UK guidance with international standards from WHO and CDC.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of current UK national tuberculosis (TB) infection prevention guidance.
- Review of historical and current data on nosocomial TB transmission.
- Comparative assessment of UK guidance against World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations.
Main Results:
- Current UK national guidance is insufficient to prevent nosocomial TB transmission in hospitals.
- Existing UK guidelines fall short of international standards set by WHO and CDC.
- The potential for TB to infect a broad population and the rise of less treatable forms underscore the need for improved prevention.
Conclusions:
- UK hospitals are currently ill-prepared to prevent tuberculosis (TB) transmission due to inadequate national guidance.
- Enhanced infection prevention strategies, aligned with international best practices, are urgently required.
- Strengthening TB infection control is crucial to protect both patients and healthcare workers.
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