TUBERCULOSIS INFECTION IN US AIR-FORCE DENTISTS

Purpose: To determine if U.S. Air Force dentists have a significantly higher prevalence of infection from M. tuberculosis than a similar no- dentist group. Materials and Methods: A written survey instrument was sent to all active duty Air Force dentists and lawyers. The survey ask ed individuals to voluntarily and anonymously give information regardi ng positive tuberculin skin testing which was subsequently treated wit h antituberculosis medication. Only positive responses which occurred during the time the respondent was practicing as a dentist or lawyer i n the Air Force were counted. Significant exposures were considered to have occurred in those persons who were evaluated by a physician and actually put on a course of antituberculosis medication. Results: The dentists returned 82.7% of the 1256 surveys sent, of which 2.37% indic ated a significant exposure. The lawyers returned 79.6% of 1321 survey s, of which 1.47% were positive for significant exposure. Chi-square a nalysis indicated no significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.14).