Abstract:

Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be one of today's public health problems with high morbidity and mortality rates despite global efforts. Healthcare professionals and students represent an important risk group for exposure and infection in both developing and developed countries. One of the important components of tuberculosis infection control is the routine screening of healthcare workers for latent tuberculosis infection and chemoprophylaxis for positive ones. The aim of this study is to analyze the distribution of purified protein derivative (PPD) reactions among healthy health technician students who will be active in the healthcare sector in the future and to determine the correlation between scar presence, scar number and PPD reactivity. The number of previous Bacillus Calmette-Guèrin (BCG) traces between the years 2017-2020 were evaluated retrospectively by demographic characteristics and PPD test. Statistical evaluations were made using the SPSS V.22 program. Independent variables are shown with numbers and percentages. Chi-square test was applied to dependent variables. A total of 390 students were included in the study. 13.1% of the students were found to be PPD positive. PPD positivity rates were determined as 10,0% (15-20 mm) and 3,1% (20 and above mm). The number of scars of the students varied from zero to two. The relationship between BCG scar numbers and PPD induration diameters were statistically significant (p<0,05). All of the students without BCG scar were PPD negative. The high rate of PPD negativity and BCG positivity among health technician candidates is an indicator of vaccine-induced protective immunity.

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