Objective: To study a program of post-exposure management for pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in the hospital setting.

Materials and Methods: A study was conducted among hospital personnel (HP) from March 2016 to June 2017. A program of postexposure management for pulmonary TB in the hospital setting was instituted which followed the “Guidelines for the Investigation
of Contacts of Persons with Infectious Tuberculosis: Recommendations from the National Tuberculosis Controllers Association and CDC” using the QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-Tube assay (QFT-GIT), an Interferon-Gamma Release Assay (IGRA), as a screening test.

Results: Three hundreds and twelve HP were classified as the contact persons and 15 TB patients were confirmed as the index cases. Among 312 HP, 134 (42.9%) was classified as high or medium priority contacts, and 30 of them (22.4%) were investigated by QFTGIT after being exposed. Two HP (6.7%) revealed positive result and were confirmed as having latent tuberculosis infection, but
only one HP accepted INH preventive treatment. Twenty six (8.3%) HP could not be prioritized due to their incomplete information.

Conclusion: This program was unable to statistically identify the post-exposed HP with infectious tuberculosis due to limited numbers. The appropriate guidelines need to be developed more clearly with definition of a ‘close contact’. This will be more useful for Thailand hospital settings.

Keywords: Latent tuberculosis infection, Hospital personnel, Post-exposure, Interferon-Gamma Release Assay