[Evolution of the prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in a penitentiary population on admission to prison from 1991 to 1996].
BACKGROUND
In Spanish prisons tuberculosis is a serious problem of public health. The analysis of temporal trends of tuberculous infection can show the effectiveness of interventions developed.


METHODS
All admissions in a prison between July 1991 and June 1996, without antecedents of chemotherapy or chemoprophylaxis, were included. We gathered sociodemographic variables as well as prison-related variables and HIV-risk factors. Tuberculin skin test was performed with 2 U of PPD RT-23 following the Spanish Consensus to Criterion of Tuberculous Infection. Statistic analysis was based on multivariate analysis (logistic regression).


RESULTS
37% of 1,459 prisoners analyzed were infected with M. tuberculosis. The tuberculous infection was more frequent among older prisoners (p < 0.001) and those with more time spent in prison (p < 0.001). Those with BCG-vaccination showed lesser levels of tuberculin reaction (p = 0.001). Temporal trends of tuberculous infection didn't show variations, but in intravenous drug users IVDU (p = 0.012) and those with time spent in prison (p = 0.08) it was increased.


CONCLUSIONS
We detected a high prevalence of tuberculous infection and the time spent in prison was one of the risk factors. The infection was probably underestimate among those with BCG-vaccination because of the criterion used. The tuberculous infection was increased among IVDU and those with antecedent of time spent in prison.
Martín
V
V
Servicio Médico, Centro Penitenciario, León. vmartin@telprof.eurociber.es
Caylà
J A
JA
Bolea
A
A
de Paz
J A
JA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014374:Tuberculin Test / Q000379:methods