Epidemiology of tuberculosis in inmates of selected central prisons in Tanzania
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Date
2014
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
A cross sectional study was carried out to determine prevalence of tuberculosis (TB)
among prison inmates and assessed risk factors contributing to the disease in five selected
Central prisons namely; Butimba, Isanga, Ruanda, Ukonga and Segerea in Tanzania. The
prevalence was established based on sputum smear microscopic examination for Acid Fast
Bacilli (AFB). Questionnaires were used to gather information from prison inmates and
prison staff about possible risk factors for TB spread in prisons. Due to the current
association between HIV infection and TB epidemic, HIV screening was carried out by
testing capillary blood adhering to the National algorithm whereby two serial rapid
antibody tests namely Alere Determine and Uni-Gold were used. A total of 370 prisoners
out of 8330 inmates were involved and the overall prevalence of TB was 3.8%. On
commencement of the survey, 71 prisoners (0.85%, n=71; N=8330) from studied prisons
were under anti TB treatment. The overall prevalence of HIV in studied Prisons was 5.4%.
Il was also noted that overcrowding, poor ventilation, poor prison architecture, history of
TB contact, HIV infection, smoking cigarettes, and limited knowledge on TB to prisoners
were the risk factors for TB in prisons. The present study confirms the high prevalence of
pulmonary tuberculosis in prison populations, thus suggest not only active transmission of
the disease in the prison settings but also the need for executing urgent preventive
measures.
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Keywords
Epidemiology, Tuberculosis, Central prisons, Inmates