NCJ Number
176091
Journal
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Volume: 45 Issue: RR-8 Dated: June Pages: 1996)-27
Date Published
1996
Length
27 pages
Annotation
The recommendations in this report update and expand previously published recommendations for preventing and controlling tuberculosis (TB) in correctional facilities.
Abstract
The Advisory Council for the Elimination of Tuberculosis (ACET) has prepared this report to assist officials of Federal, State, and local correctional facilities in controlling TB among inmates and employees of both short-term and long-term correctional facilities. The transmission of Mycobacterium TB in correctional facilities presents a public health problem for correctional employees and for inmates, as well as the communities into which they are released. ACET recognizes the urgent need to improve TB prevention and control practices in many correctional facilities. All correctional facilities, even those in which few TB cases are expected to occur, should designate a person or group to be responsible for the facility's TB infection-control program. Such a program should include the following essential TB-control activities: screening to identify persons who are infected with M. tuberculosis or who have active TB disease; containment to prevent transmission of M. tuberculosis and adequately treat persons who have latent TB infection or active TB disease; and assessment to monitor and evaluate the screening and containment activities. Correctional facility officials should develop close working relationships with their State and local health departments, which can assist correctional facilities in formulating, implementing, and evaluating these activities. 49 references and a glossary