Abstract
to evaluate the risk of infection and illness caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis among health care and security staff in prisons in two regions of Rio Grande do Sul (RS). cross-sectional study involving prison staff. An interview and sputum smear microscopy and culture were performed. Latent infection was evaluated according to the result of the tuberculin test (TT), self-referred. among staff who had a TT, 10 (83.3%) in the central region and 2 (16.7%) in the southern region were considered reactors. Length of employment among prison officers who reacted to TT was 15.3 years, and among health care workers, 4.1 years (p = 0.01). No cases of active tuberculosis (TB) were identified. prevalence of latent TB was 27.9%. Length of employment between different professional categories and their working regions was considered a risk factor for latent TB.
Highlights
People working in environments with high prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) such as health institutions, drug treatment centers and prisons, in low- and middle-income countries, are at higher risk of developing the disease
The latest estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO) reported nine million new TB cases in 2013 and 1.5 million deaths from TB worldwide, which are unacceptably high figures considering that most deaths are preventable and people have health care, diagnosis and adequate treatment provided free of charge[1,2,3,4]
Regarding poor living conditions and compromised immune system, the following population groups are the most vulnerable to TB: indigenous populations, homeless people, people living with HIV/AIDS and persons deprived of liberty (PDL)(5-6)
Summary
People working in environments with high prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) such as health institutions, drug treatment centers and prisons, in low- and middle-income countries, are at higher risk of developing the disease. The latest estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO) reported nine million new TB cases in 2013 and 1.5 million deaths from TB worldwide, which are unacceptably high figures considering that most deaths are preventable and people have health care, diagnosis and adequate treatment provided free of charge[1,2,3,4]. Brazil ranks fourth worldwide among countries with the largest prison population. There are several reasons why TB is highly endemic in Brazilian prisons: overcrowding, poorly ventilated cells, poor hygiene conditions, poor nutrition, high HIV prevalence, risk behaviors such as alcohol and drug use. Additional factors include irregular treatment and the late detection of cases of resistance, which contribute to the spread of intramural TB[7,8,9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
