| Theme | Dealing with infections in hemodialysis facilities | |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Tuberculosis infection in patients undergoing dialysis-early detection and prevention of hospital-associated infection | |
| Publish Date | 2018/06 | |
| Author | Hirofumi Hasegawa | Keyaki Clinic |
| [ Summary ] | In 2016, the notification rate of tuberculosis was 13.9 per 1,000,000 population in Japan. Although this rate has been persistently declining over the past few years, the prevalence of tuberculosis remains high in patients undergoing dialysis owing to lowered cell-mediated immunity in this patient population. The notification rate of tuberculosis in patients undergoing dialysis was 235 per 1,000,000 population across dialysis facilities in Osaka in 2013. In this article, we have described the use of the interferon gamma release assay, and the diagnosis and treatment of latent tuberculosis infection in patients undergoing dialysis and in healthcare providers. Moreover, we have discussed the importance of early detection of tuberculosis infection in patients undergoing dialysis, the measures to be implemented in high-risk and close contacts of patients, and the preventative measures against hospital-associated tuberculosis infection. |
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