RISK FACTORS FOR LATENT TUBERCULOSIS INFECTION IN CLOSE CONTACTS OF ACTIVE TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS IN ALEPPO CITY
Al-Kayali R.,*, Almekhlef A.M. and Khouri A.
ABSTRACT
The diagnosis and treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) have become mandatory toreduce the burden of tuberculosis worldwide. Close contacts of active TB patients are at high risk of both active and LTBI. The aim of this study is to identify t risk factors of contracting LTBI, persons in close contact with TB patients were recruited. Close contacts of active pulmonary TB patients visiting local Tuberculosis Center were diagnosed for LTBI using TST. The association of positive TST with the following factors was estimated: age, gender, education, history of close contact, history of Bacillius Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination. Of 210 subjects, 44.8% (94/210) were TST positive and. TST positivitywas significantly associated with medical history related to immunological case (OR: 3.278; 95% CI: 1.019-10.547, p =0.046) after adjustment for confounding variables. This study revealed a high prevalence of LTBI among close contacts of active pulmonary TB patients, having a medical history and being a household contact (number of family were risk factors of LTBI in the study population.
Keywords: Latent Tuberculosis, Close Contact, TST, Prevalence, Risk factor.
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