title: [Not Available].
abstract: The scope of this study was to organize the knowledge produced on tuberculosis in Brazilian prisons in a systematic manner. A comprehensive review was conducted in the Medline and Lilacs databases and the SciELO electronic library using the key words: "Tuberculosis," "Prisons" and "Brazil." Of the 61 records found, 33 were evaluated (28 duplicated records) and 21 included in the review (12 excluded according to the criteria adopted). These studies contribute effectively to improve the knowledge regarding the scale of the disease among inmates, as well as to the choice of screening and diagnostic methods most appropriate to the prison setting. The incidence rates and prevalence of active and latent tuberculosis are presented, in addition to data on the profile of drug and genotype susceptibility of the clinical results. Awareness of the data presented highlights the need to adopt measures aimed at case detection, treatment and follow-up. It is suggested that the new challenges for scientific research should be linked to the development of specific knowledge about dealing with the problem in an environment full of specificities such as a prison.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Ciências da Vida e da Saúde, Universidade Católica de Pelotas (UCPel). R. Gonçalves Chaves 373, Centro. 96015-560 Pelotas RS Brasil. mariana.valenca@ucpel.edu.br.
authors.forename: Mariana Soares
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Valença
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia e Farmácia, Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul. Santa Cruz do Sul RS Brasil.
authors.forename: Lia Gonçalves
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Possuelo
authors.affiliation: Escola de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG). Rio Grande RS Brasil.
authors.forename: Marta Regina
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Cezar-Vaz
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina, FURG. Rio Grande RS Brasil.
authors.forename: Pedro Eduardo Almeida da
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D006801:Humans; D011330:Prisons; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology