Tuberculosis in health workers in Peru, 2013-2015

To describe the characteristics of tuberculosis epidemiology in Peruvian health workers. A descriptive study was performed. It included all health workers with tuberculosis listed in the national epidemiological surveillance system of the Peruvian Ministry of Health, during 2013, 2014, and 2015. A total of 755 cases of tuberculosis in health workers were reported: 60% worked in hospitals, 28% worked in primary-care facilities, and 12% worked in private facilities. In 57% of the cases, they worked in health facilities in Lima Metropolitan area and Callao. The average age of workers was 38 years (ranging from 19 to 89 years), and 63.6% were women. Of the cases, 6.1% were resistant, mainly multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, 67% of the cases had bacteriological confirmation of pulmonary tuberculosis. Health professionals and technicians represented 82.5% of the cases, and 55.2% corresponded to doctor's offices, hospital admissions, and emergency rooms, the areas where they worked. Tuberculosis poses a significant work risk for health workers of both public and private facilities. It mainly affects health professionals and technicians providing direct care and assistance to patients in large Peruvian hospitals.