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International Journal of Epidemiology 2003;32:799-801
© International Epidemiological Association 2003

Special Theme: Infectious Diseases

Commentary: Evaluating the tuberculosis burden in prisoners in Pakistan

Mary C White

University of California, San Francisco, 2 Koret Way, Box 0608, San Francisco, CA 94143–0608 USA. E-mail: mcwhite@itsa.ucsf.edu

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

It is well recognized that correctional facilities worldwide are settings in which tuberculosis (TB) prevalence, and transmission, are high. In this issue of the International Journal of Epidemiology, Hussain et al. describe the prevalence of latent TB infection (LTBI) in a random sample of prisoners from five prisons in the North West Frontier Province, Pakistan.1 In this cross-sectional design, the authors provide an interesting glimpse of the burden of infection in this population.

The authors found that 48% of the prisoners were tuberculin skin test (TST) positive, using a conservative evaluation of skin test results: >=15 mm induration was interpreted as positive for those with history of BCG vaccination, ascertained by evidence of a scar. The authors accurately note that this would underestimate those with true LTBI who may have received BCG only in infancy;2 however, this would result in false positives if vaccine was given in later years . . . [Full Text of this Article]


   Prevalence of LTBI in prisoners in Pakistan
 

   Transmission within the prison?
 

   Infection control measures
 

   Conclusion
 

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