Tuberculosis in a prison population in Mwanza, Tanzania (1994-1997).

SETTING

Bugando Medical Centre, a referral consultant hospital in the lake zone to which all inmates from Butimba prison are admitted and treated.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the extent of open (smear-positive) tuberculosis and other types of tuberculosis among prisoners with tuberculosis.

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study. Case notes of 501 prisoners from January 1994 to December 1997 were retrieved and reviewed.

RESULTS

The proportion of open tuberculosis in this study was high, with 204 prisoners (40.7%) having smear-positive tuberculosis. Co-infection was recorded in the majority of patients; HIV/AIDS was recorded in 25.9% of cases. The mean length of imprisonment at the time of diagnosis was 19 months.

CONCLUSION

The proportion of open, smear-positive tuberculosis among prisoners admitted with tuberculosis is high. Intervention measures specifically targeting this population are urgently needed in order to contain tuberculosis disease in the prison population.