In this sample, the area with the greatest incidence of
TB was working in the stores/workshop. While employees
working in these areas move throughout the
hospital, they spend less time in clinical areas than other
HCWs. The risk in this group may indicate that infection
control measures in these areas are inadequate due
to a low perceived risk and poor to non-existent infection
control measures due to the necessity to keep hospital
supplies in a climate controlled environment.
Transmission in this area may be occurring between
staff working in these areas that may be exposed to TB
in the community. Community exposure was not measured
in this study. These findings indicate a need to
further investigate infection control in non-clinical
areas and to include non-clinical staff in infection control
education. In addition, occupational health should
include these non-clinical staff in TB symptom screenings
to potentially identify cases amongst this group.