RISK FACTORS OF LATENT TUBERCULOSIS INFECTION IN HEALTHCARE WORKERS AT HOSPITALS IN JEMBER CITY INDONESIA.

Background: Healthcare workers in Tuberculosis (TB) and non-TB units in hospitals have a high risk of experiencing Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI), because of exposure to droplets containing . This study aims to prove LTBI incidence and risk factors to healthcare workers at the hospital in Jember City.

Material And Methods: a cross-sectional study, from January to March 2020 in two hospitals in Jember City. Healthcare workers in the TB care and non-TB care unit were examined using Tuberculin skin test (TST) with a cut off ≥ 10 mm for positive LTBI. Chest x-ray and clinical examination to rule out active TB and a standardized questionnaire were also used.

Results: 128 healthcare workers completed the questionnaires, clinical, tuberculin skin test (TST), and chest x-ray data. LTBI incidence of positive results 61.7% (n = 79). Contacts TB in the workplace (p value = 0.219; OR = 1.643; CI = 0.742-3.641) and a unit of work (p value = 0.102; OR = 0.760; CI = 0.559-1.031) has no relationship with LTBI. The profession (p value = 0.020; OR = 1.112; CI = 0.896-1.403), the duration of the work (p value = 0.039; OR = 2.984; CI = 1.067-8.342), and BCG immunization (p value =0.000; OR = 0.151; CI = 0.052-0.438) have important relationships with LTBI.

Conclusion: TB infection with a high incidence, a risk of transmission to healthcare workers, and a relationship between occupational risk factors and LTBI among healthcare workers in Jember City, Indonesia have been established in this study.