Indoor pollution as an occupational risk factor for tuberculosis among women: a population-based, gender oriented, case-control study in Southern Mexico.

Background: Indoor air pollution produced by biomass cooking fuels in developing countries has been associated with acute and chronic lower respiratory diseases, but has not been identified as an occupational exposure among women.

Objective: To examine the relationship between the use of biomass cooking fuels (mainly wood) and tuberculosis (TB) among women living in rural areas in Southern Mexico.

Methods: We conducted a population based case-control study in the health jurisdiction of Orizaba, Mexico.