Prevalence of latent infection of mycobacterium tuberculosis among healthcare students in a public university in Vitoria, state of Espirito Santo, Brazil

This article seeks to determine the prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in medical and nursing students of the Federal University of Espirito Santo (UFES) This is a cross-sectional study in which data were collected through a questionnaire assessing personal characteristics, information about tuberculosis, use of preventive measures, etc. This was followed by the application of the tuberculin skin test, with readings after 72 hours by trained nurses, the positive cutoff point for the TST being 10 mm of induration in the 72-hour reading. Participants in the study included 225 volunteers, namely 98 Medical students and 127 Nursing students. A positive tuberculin skin test was found in 54 students of both courses, resulting in a prevalence of 24%. Among Nursing Students the result of a positive TST was obtained in 24% and in 23%, of Medical Students, such that this difference was not statistically significant. It is necessary to carry out a routine program of tuberculin testing, for confirmation, combined with interventions to reduce the risk of nosocomial transmission in the workplace, as well as further studies to evaluate the effectiveness of new tests to detect latent tuberculosis infection.