Resposta ao teste tuberculínico entre estudantes de Enfermagem de Londrina, Paraná

Introduction: The tuberculin skin test (TST) consists in an important resource for diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and an auxiliary method for tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis. Objective: To analyze the results of TST in nursing students from Londrina, Parana, Brazil. Methods: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional and quantitative study, and the data were collected by using the TST registration forms from a Reference Center for Tuberculosis. The study population consisted of 556 nursing students who carried out practical activities in this center during the period from 2003 to 2010. Results: Among the 556 students who took the TST, 165 (29.7%) did not return for reading. From the students who completed the trial (n=391), the mean age was 23.5 years with standard deviation of 4.8 years and median of 22 years. The prevalence of positivity was 12.3%, considering induration greater than or equal to 5 mm diameter. We observed significant differences in terms of age (p=0.001) and gender (p=0.013), since men and students aged 23 and older were more reactors to the test. Conclusions: The nursing students are a vulnerable population for infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis during the practical activities of the course, being recommended the strengthening of guidance related to biosecurity measures, as well as periodic TST.