Tuberculous infection in student nurses in Madrid, Spain

To determine the incidence of tuberculous infection in student nurses we pe rformed a 3-year study in our hospital. Before training was initiated, 18.7 5% of males and 5.7% of females were Mantoux-positive (P = 0.09). During th e following two years, 9.2% of the previously Mantoux-negative students bec ame positive. No differences were found between males and females. We concl ude that student nurses must be considered at risk for tuberculous infectio n in our hospital, and that stricter isolation procedures for tuberculous p atients must be implemented.