skin-diseases-and-microbiology-2016

Volume 4, Issue 7(Suppl)

J Infect Dis Ther 2016

ISSN: 2332-0877, JIDT an open access journal

Page 56

Skin Diseases & Microbiology 2016

October 03-05, 2016

conferenceseries

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October 03-05, 2016 Vancouver, Canada

International Conference on

Infectious Diseases, Diagnostic Microbiology &

Dermatologists Summit on Skin Infections

Screening of laboratory workers for latent TB using interferon gamma assay

Anum Liaquat Ali

Dow University of Health Science, Pakistan

Background:

Latent tuberculosis infection is asymptomatic and untransmissible disease. According to theWorld Health Organization

(WHO) Global Surveillance andMonitoring Project, in 2014 estimated incidence of TB is 181 per 100 000, with 40% of the population

infected with TB in Pakistan and approximately one-third of the population is infected worldwide. Laboratory workers dealing with

tan samples or TB patients are always at risk to get TB. In this study, we have investigated prevalence of latent TB in health care

providers who are at risk to get TB to the cases of infectious tuberculosis using QuantiFERON assay.

Objective:

To screen the lab workers at risk to occupational exposure for latent TB using QuantiFERON Assay.

Methodology:

3 ml of whole blood were collected into 3 specific QFT tubes (NIL, TB, Mitogen) from 60 lab personals including

phlebotomists, medical technologist, doctors and faculty members working closely with TB samples or patients. Samples were

performed for detection interferon specifically released against TB according to the manufacturer QuantiFERON TB Gold protocol.

Result:

Out of 60 samples, 12 samples were found positive, 1 sample showed indeterminate result and 47 were found negative. Out of

12 positive samples 10 were from medical technologists working closely since long time with TB samples or TB patients, and 2 were

from phlebotomists collecting samples from patients.

Conclusion:

Health care providers usually work with TB infected samples with minimal infection control measures. This study shows

the need for effective latent TB infection control measures and emphasizes on the importance to improve over all biosafety precautions

during dealing with the TB patients or samples. The study also provides recommendations for routine and regular screening and

checkup of the lab workers working with TB to ensure their safety rather safety of all as no one is safe until everyone is safe.

J Infect Dis Ther 2016, 4:7(Suppl)