Tuberculosis and tuberculosis control in European prisons

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Infectious Disease Control

Background:

• Correctional facilities are recognized as potential reservoirs for tuberculosis (TB).
• Limited data exists on TB epidemiology and control within these settings.
• Prison populations pose a potential TB transmission risk to the general community.

Purpose of the Study:

• To gather data on tuberculosis prevalence in prisons across the WHO European Region.
• To assess current TB control measures implemented in correctional facilities.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire was distributed to 52 EuroTB correspondents.
• Data collected included inmate numbers, TB cases, drug resistance, screening, and monitoring practices for the year 2002.

Main Results:

• Twenty-two countries (42.3%) responded, reporting a median TB notification rate of 232 per 100,000 inmates.
• Prisoners exhibited TB rates up to 83.6 times higher than the civilian population.
• Active screening on entry (90.9% of countries), contact investigations (81.8%), and isolation of infectious patients (86.4%) were common practices.

Conclusions:

• Despite a low response rate potentially introducing bias, the study underscores the heightened vulnerability of prisoners to TB.
• Effective case-finding and containment strategies are crucial for TB control in prison settings.
• Further engagement in TB control within prisons is warranted.