Characteristics of pulmonary tuberculosis in medical staff in Liaoning, 2014–2019

  Objective  To understand the registered incidence and epidemiological characteristics of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in medical staff in Liaoning province and provide evidence for the development of effective protective countermeasures for medical staff.

  Methods  The incidence data of TB in medical staff in Liaoning from 2014 to 2019 were collected for a descriptive epidemiological analysis.

  Results  From 2014 to 2019, a total of 537 pulmonary TB cases were registered in medical staff in Liaoning, including 19 cases of rifampicin-resistant TB, 94 cases of etiologic positive pulmonary TB, 354 cases of etiologic negative pulmonary TB and 70 cases without etiologic results. The registration rate of pulmonary TB in medical staff in TB hospitals was higher than that in medical staff of other medical institutions (χ²=282.18, P<0.05). In the past 6 years, the average annual registration rate of pulmonary TB in medical staff was 31.19/100 000, with an increasing trend (χ²=10.01, P<0.05). TB cases were registered in all the areas in Liaoning, with a relatively high proportion of the cases in the first quarter (34.45%), and the male to female ratio of the cases was 1∶3.07. The average age of pulmonary TB cases in medical staff was 33.56 years, and the median age was 30 years. The cases in age group 25–34 years accounted for the highest proportion (47.30%). The cases with the interval between onset and the first medical care seeking ＞2 weeks accounted for 55.68%. There was no significant difference in medical care seeking delay rate between medical staff in TB hospitals and medical staff in other medical institutions (χ²=0.69, P>0.05), and the medical care seeking delay rate in medical staff was lower than that in general population during the same period (χ²=7.27, P<0.05).

  Conclusion  Medical staff are at high-risk for TB, and the medical care seeking delay rate of medical staff was high. It is necessary to strengthen the prevention and control of TB in medical institutions and carry out health education about TB prevention and control in medical staff.