Tuberculosis in a Yorkshire prison: case report

In 2005 there were 8.8 million new cases of tuberculosis (TB) globally and 1.6 million deaths. Incidence rates in Western Europe ranged between 4 and 10 per 100,000 in 2001, but TB is still a significant challenge in this region, especially due to delayed diagnosis and management. Prisons are a potential “breeding ground” for TB with a mean notification rate of 232 cases per 100,000 prisoners in Europe in 2002. This report describes the measures taken in response to a TB case in a British prison. Following diagnosis, the “stone in the pond” method was used to identify potential contacts. Selection criteria were agreed and screening tools included the Quantiferon test. These methods, combined with an effective integrated community and hospital TB service, resulted in the successful management of the incident.