# Occupational Transmission of Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis, France

**Authors:** Corentin Poignon, Frédéric Vandenbos, Karine Risso, Delphine Viard, Esther Gydé, Alice Gaudart, David Chirio, Nicolas Veziris, Michel Carles

PMC · DOI: 10.3201/eid3203.251099 · 2026-03-01

## TL;DR

A healthcare worker in France caught drug-resistant tuberculosis at work despite precautions, highlighting risks for immunocompromised staff.

## Contribution

Highlights occupational transmission risks of drug-resistant TB to immunocompromised healthcare workers.

## Key findings

- A healthcare worker contracted extensively drug-resistant TB despite airborne precautions.
- Immunocompromised workers are at high risk in TB care settings.
- Frontline TB care should avoid assigning immunocompromised workers.

## Abstract

We report occupational transmission of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) to a healthcare worker in France receiving tumor necrosis factor α inhibitor therapy. Despite airborne precautions, the healthcare worker contracted TB working in a high-risk unit. This case underscores that immunocompromised healthcare workers should not be assigned to frontline TB care in high-risk settings.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** tuberculosis (MONDO:0018076), extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (MONDO:0100482)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** TNF (tumor necrosis factor) [NCBI Gene 7124] {aka DIF, IMD127, TNF-alpha, TNFA, TNFSF2, TNLG1F}
- **Diseases:** irritable bowel disease (MESH:D043183), Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (MESH:D054908), ankylosing spondylitis (MESH:D013167), TB (MESH:D014376), Infection (MESH:D007239), hypermetabolism (MESH:C565498), inflammatory diseases (MESH:D007249), multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MESH:D018088), fatigue (MESH:D005221), latent TB (MESH:D055985), infectious disease (MESH:D003141), chronic (MESH:D002908), rheumatologic (MESH:D012216)
- **Chemicals:** cycloserine (MESH:D003523), delamanid (MESH:C516022), clofazimine (MESH:D002991), acid (MESH:D000143), Bedaquiline (MESH:C493870), rifampin (MESH:D012293), QuantiFERON (-), isoniazid (MESH:D007538), amikacin (MESH:D000583), infliximab (MESH:D000069285), linezolid (MESH:D000069349), adalimumab (MESH:D000068879), aminoglycosides (MESH:D000617), fluoroquinolones (MESH:D024841)
- **Species:** Mycobacterium tuberculosis (species) [taxon 1773], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Figures

1 figure with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13016029/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13016029