EPIDEMIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF TUBERCULOSIS CHARACTERISTICS AMONG HEALTHCARE WORKERS IN BRAZIL (2014–2025)

Healthcare professionals (HPs) are at higher risk of exposure to and development of tuberculosis (TB). This study aims to outline the epidemiological profile of TB cases reported among healthcare professionals in Brazil between 2014 and 2025. A descriptive and comparative epidemiological study was conducted using data on TB cases among healthcare professionals reported to the Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação (SINAN), of the Ministério da Saúde/SVSA. Data were analyzed for the period from 2014 to 2025 (2025 with partial data). The profile of healthcare professionals with TB was characterized according to regional distribution, sex, age group, and clinical forms (pulmonary, extrapulmonary, and pulmonary + extrapulmonary). Treatment outcomes were also evaluated. A comparative analysis of the occurrence of drug-resistant TB (TB-DR) was performed between the group of healthcare professionals and the total TB cases in Brazil. Between 2014 and 2024, a total of 12.374 TB cases were reported among healthcare professionals in Brazil. Most cases occurred in the Southeast Region (5.482), followed by the Northeast (2.949) and North (1.774) regions. There was a predominance of females (7.879 cases) compared to males (4.494 cases). Age group analysis showed that the highest concentration of cases occurred among young and middle-aged adults. The pulmonary form was the most prevalent, accounting for approximately 70.2% of total cases. Extrapulmonary TB was diagnosed in 3.219 healthcare professionals (approximately 26%), and the pulmonary + extrapulmonary form in 463 cases (approximately 3,7%). Treatment outcomes among healthcare professionals included 9.298 cures, 710 treatment abandonments, 177 deaths due to tuberculosis, and 255 deaths from other causes. Regarding drug-resistant TB, healthcare professionals presented 147 TB-DR cases during the period. When compared with the total number of TB cases in Brazil, the proportion of TB-DR among healthcare professionals was approximately 1.19% (147/12.374), while in the general population it was approximately 1.07% (11.132/1.040.718). Although the proportion is similar, the occurrence of TB-DR among healthcare professionals deserves attention due to occupational risk. The epidemiological profile of tuberculosis among healthcare professionals in Brazil indicates a higher occurrence among women, concentration in professionally active age groups (25 to 44 years), and predominance of the pulmonary form of the disease. The cure rate among these professionals is high.