TB in Correctional Facilities in the United States

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Background

In 2019, approximately 3% of TB cases reported in the United States occurred among people who were incarcerated at the time of diagnosis. The incarcerated population contains a high proportion of people at greater risk for TB than the overall population.

TB Control in Correctional Facilities

Effective TB prevention and control measures in correctional facilities include:

• Early identification of persons with TB disease through entry and periodic follow-up screening;
• Successful treatment of TB disease and latent TB infection;
• Appropriate use of airborne precautions (e.g., airborne infection isolation, environmental controls, and respiratory protection);
• Comprehensive discharge planning; and
• Thorough and efficient contact investigations when a TB case has been identified.

These measures should be instituted in close collaboration with local or state health department TB-control programs and other key partners. Continuing education of inmates, detainees, and correctional facility staff is necessary to maximize cooperation and participation. To ensure TB prevention and control measures are effective, periodic program evaluation should be conducted.

Data on TB in Correctional Facilities

Surveillance data

Table 37.  Tuberculosis Cases and Percentages, by Residence in and Type of Correctional Facilities,1 Ages ≥15 Years:  Reporting Areas, 2019

Epidemiology of Tuberculosis in Correctional Facilities, United States, 1993-2017 (slide set)
This slide set provides a summary of TB cases in a correctional facility at the time of diagnosis for the years 1993 through 2017.

Resources on TB and Correctional Facilities

• CDC Recommendations
  • Prevention and Control of Tuberculosis in Correctional and Detention Facilities; Recommendations from CDC MMWR 2006; 55 (No, RR-09, 1-44)
  • Tuberculosis in Correctional Settings: What Corrections Staff Need to Know (Slide Set)
  • Prevention and Control of Tuberculosis in Correctional and Detention Facilities (Slide Set)
• CDC Correctional and Public Health Resources by State
• Southeastern National Tuberculosis Center: Arresting TB: Understanding the Culture of Correctionsexternal icon
• National TB Controllers Association (NTCA) CorrectTB Resourcesexternal icon

For additional CDC resources on TB, see Patient and General Public Materials and Health Care Providers and TB Program Materials.