Pulmonary Tuberculosis and Associated Complications among the Health Care workers

Aim: To study the pulmonary TB and its associated complications among health care workers. Methods: This descriptive study was carried out in the Department of Pulmonology, Postgraduate Medical Institute/Lahore General Hospital, Lahore from March 2012 to October 2012. The study was conducted among health care workers (doctors= 35, nurses and nursing students= 46 and other paramedics= 19 like laboratory workers, ward assistants and cleaners), serving in the hospital for more than one year in the Medicine and allied, surgical and allied and Pathology department. Results: Among doctors, 1(2.8%) case of active disease was detected while inactive disease was found in 4(11.4%) subjects. Tuberculous infection rate was found to be 65.7%. Among nurses, 3(11.5%) were detected having active disease and 5(19.5%) inactive disease. Among nursing students, 4(20%) were suffering from active disease and 3(15%) inactive disease. Conclusion: Tuberculosis remains an occupational hazard for health care workers.