Surgical Face Masks Worn by Patients with Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis: Impact on Infectivity of Air on a Hospital Ward

Details

• Personal Author:
  Dharmadhikari AS ; First M ; Jensen, Paul A. ; Lubbe W ; Masotla T ; Mathebula R ; Mphahlele M ; Nardell EA ; Pagano M ; Stoltz A ; van der Walt M ; Venter K
• Description:
  Rationale: Drug-resistant tuberculosis transmission in hospitals threatens staff and patient health. Surgical face masks used by patients with tuberculosis (TB) are believed to reduce transmission but have not been rigorously tested. Objectives: We sought to quantify the efficacy of surgical face masks when worn by patients with multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). Methods: Over 3 months, 17 patients with pulmonary MDR-TB occupied an MDR-TB ward in South Africa and wore face masks on alternate days. Ward air was exhausted to two identical chambers, each housing 90 pathogen-free guinea pigs that breathed ward air either when patients wore surgical face masks (intervention group) or when patients did not wear masks (control group). Efficacy was based on differences in guinea pig infections in each chamber. Measurements and Main Results: Sixty-nine of 90 control guinea pigs (76.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 68-85%) became infected, compared with 36 of 90 intervention guinea pigs (40%; 95% CI, 31-51%), representing a 56% (95% CI, 33-70.5%) decreased risk of TB transmission when patients used masks. Conclusions: Surgical face masks on patients with MDR-TB significantly reduced transmission and offer an adjunct measure for reducing TB transmission from infectious patients. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Animals Communicable Diseases Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Respiratory Protective Devices Safety Tuberculosis
• Keywords:
  Animal Studies Antimicrobial Resistance Author Keywords: Infection Control Disease Transmission Indoor Environments Infection Control Infectious Diseases Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis Surgical Mask Surgical Masks TB Transmission

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• ISSN:
  1073-449X
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  185
• Issue:
  10
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20051972
• Citation:
  Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2012 May; 185(10):1104-1109
• Contact Point Address:
  Ashwin Dharmadhikari, M.D., Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Division of Global Health Equity, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 641 Huntington Avenue, Room 3A03, Boston, MA 02115
• Email:
  adharmadhikari@partners.org
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2012
• NORA Priority Area:
  Healthcare and Social Assistance
• Performing Organization:
  Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20060801
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
• End Date:
  20170731
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:fe9ed175c23b22985ecff63e92d705bfd8c6bb2f0d8b0fd02f5d0a5069412159f1e6f9fb9f1e2eba0304f5a850b4278916b119c622c8305a6e6a0b9d05afdfda
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/211616/cdc_211616_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 324.15 KB ]