Tuberculosis in an Industrial Plant

Forty cases of active tuberculosis occurred in 37 employees of a large oil refinery and petrochemical plant during a ten year period. The incidence of tuberculosis was 53/100,000 per year, as compared to a rate of 81 for the state in which the plant is located. None of the affected workers had significant occupational exposure to silica, asbestos, or recognized pulmonary irritants. Thirty-seven of the cases were discovered by the refinery medical staff, three being detected by other physicians. Thirty-three were able to resume work, having accumulated 171 man-years of productive employment at the time this study was terminated. The average cost of rehabilitating a case is significantly less than the cost of hiring and training a new employee.