What to know
- Presentation Day/Time: Wednesday, April 23, 9:00–10:25 am
- Presenter: Alexa Schappert, DVM, MPH, EIS officer assigned to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment
What did we do?
- After an employee of a Kansas beef processing facility received an infectious TB diagnosis, we sought to identify and treat M. tuberculosis infections among employees, most of whom were non-U.S.–born.
What did we find?
- Among approximately 4,000 employees, 352 Kansas residents received TSTs and 2 reported previously positive TSTs.
- No employee received a TB diagnosis, but 81 (22.9%) of 354 with TST results received an LTBI diagnosis; of these, 28 (34.6%) completed LTBI treatment.
- Twenty-two (20.2%) other employees with a positive TST were lost to follow-up during diagnostic evaluations, including 15 with no chest radiographs, 1 who needed additional imaging, and 6 who needed additional sputum samples collected.
Why does it matter?
- This event facilitated LTBI diagnoses, but participation rate for TB screening and LTBI treatment completion rates were low.
- Offering TB screening for employees at risk for M. tuberculosis infections might facilitate prompt diagnosis and treatment of TB disease and LTBI.
***This presentation has updated data that will be shared at the EIS Conference.
Abstract Category: Occupational Safety and Health, Tuberculosis