Tuberculosis control among people in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody

People detained by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are a high-risk population for tuberculosis (TB). Detainees are screened for TB upon intake, and TB patients are reported to the Division of Immigration Health Services (DIHS).

TB case reports were reviewed for ICE detainees reported to DIHS during 2004-2005. Case counts and frequency distributions are presented. Case counts are stratified by demographic characteristics, release status, laboratory and clinical findings, HIV/AIDS status, and drug resistance. Case rates were calculated for patients housed at facilities with DIHS staffing. Duration of treatment and of ICE custody is provided. Analyses were conducted in 2006.

During 2004 and 2005, 76 and 142 TB patients were reported, respectively. The TB case rate was 82.6/100,000 in 2004 and 121.5/100,000 in 2005. The culture-confirmed case rate of 55.8/100,000 in 2005 was 2.5 times higher than the case rate in the U.S. foreign-born population. Of 218 patients, 127 (58.3%) had Mycobacterium tuberculosis-positive sputum cultures, 70 (32.1%) had acid-fast bacilli-positive sputum smears, and 36 (16.5%) were symptomatic at diagnosis. Patients from Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador accounted for 184 cases (84.4%) and 184 patients (84.4%) were repatriated. TB patients spent an average 82.6 days in treatment before release or repatriation.

Screening at intake to ICE custody has helped DIHS staff in diagnosing TB and starting patients on treatment, but patients are usually deported before completing therapy. Because of deportation, and sometimes re-entry into the United States, unique collaborations are required to support completion of treatment.