title: Tuberculosis among prison staff in Rio Grande do Sul.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to evaluate the risk of infection and illness caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis among health care and security staff in prisons in two regions of Rio Grande do Sul (RS).
  
  
  METHODS
  cross-sectional study involving prison staff. An interview and sputum smear microscopy and culture were performed. Latent infection was evaluated according to the result of the tuberculin test (TT), self-referred.
  
  
  RESULTS
  among staff who had a TT, 10 (83.3%) in the central region and 2 (16.7%) in the southern region were considered reactors. Length of employment among prison officers who reacted to TT was 15.3 years, and among health care workers, 4.1 years (p = 0.01). No cases of active tuberculosis (TB) were identified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  prevalence of latent TB was 27.9%. Length of employment between different professional categories and their working regions was considered a risk factor for latent TB.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Course, Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Busatto
authors.affiliation: Medicine Course, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luciana de Souza
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Health Promotion, Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andréia Rosane de Moura
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Valim
authors.affiliation: Center for Life Sciences and Health, Universidade Católica de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana Soares
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Valença
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Health Promotion, Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Suzane Frantz
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Krug
authors.affiliation: Public Health Regional Laboratory, 13th Regional Health Sector, Fundação Estadual de Produção e Pesquisa em Saúde, Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Health Promotion, Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Manuela Filter
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Allgayer
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Health Promotion, Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lia Gonçalves
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Possuelo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D055985:Latent Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000472:pathogenicity; D015995:Prevalence; D011330:Prisons / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D014374:Tuberculin Test / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*