Universal radiographic screening for tuberculosis among inmates upon admission to jail.
OBJECTIVE
This study evaluated the efficacy of radiographic screening for tuberculosis in correctional facilities.


METHODS
Inmates at an admission facility in New York, NY, were screened for tuberculosis by registry cross-match, symptom interviews, tuberculin testing, and chest radiography.


RESULTS
Thirty-two cases of tuberculosis were detected among 4172 inmate admissions (767 cases per 100,000). Twenty-five inmates (78%) were previously diagnosed but incompletely treated; all were identified by registry cross-match. Seven inmates (22%) were newly diagnosed, of whom four (57%) were asymptomatic, had negative skin tests, and were detected only by their abnormal radiographs.


CONCLUSIONS
Screening strategies that limit radiographic testing to inmates with either positive skin tests or symptoms may result in missed opportunities for diagnosing active tuberculosis.
Layton
M C
MC
Bureau of Tuberculosis Control, New York City Department of Health, NY 10013, USA.
Henning
K J
KJ
Alexander
T A
TA
Gooding
A L
AL
Reid
C
C
Heyman
B M
BM
Leung
J
J
Gilmore
D M
DM
Frieden
T R
TR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008400:Mass Chest X-Ray / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*