Tuberculosis in prisons
An integrated prevention and care cascade for a persistent structural epidemic
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22082806 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Jaen Cagua-Ordoñez (0000-0002-1684-5206, Universidad Indoamérica), Juan Marcos Parise-Vasco (0000-0002-5223-3370, Universidad Indoamérica), Jaime Angamarca-Iguago (0000-0003-1907-3632, Universidad Indoamérica), Natasha Bella Fuentes-Tumbaco (Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia), Daniel Simancas-Racines (Universidad Indoamérica) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 14 |
| Publication date | 2026-07-08 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Frontiers in Public Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2296-2565 • E-ISSN: 2296-2565 |
| Publisher | Frontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1892055 |
| OpenAlex | W7167701874 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 104 |
Tuberculosis (TB) remains disproportionately concentrated in prison populations worldwide, driven by overcrowding, poor ventilation, HIV co-infection, delayed diagnosis, treatment interruption, social vulnerability, and weak integration between correctional health services and national TB programs. This structured narrative review synthesizes current evidence across the prison TB prevention and care cascade, including screening, diagnosis, treatment, transmission reduction, TB/HIV integration, surveillance, and continuity after release. We conducted an expert-led narrative synthesis informed by systematic-review principles, distinguishing direct prison-specific evidence from mathematical modeling, policy guidance, systematic reviews, and indirect evidence from adjacent fields such as HIV care and TB infection treatment. Symptom screening alone has limited sensitivity in high-burden prisons. Digital chest radiography with computer-aided detection can improve case detection when linked to confirmatory molecular testing and treatment capacity. Xpert MTB/RIF or Ultra are central to rapid confirmation and rifampicin-resistance detection. Shorter rifamycin-based regimens for TB infection generally achieve higher completion than longer isoniazid-based regimens, while shorter all-oral MDR/RR-TB regimens may offer programmatic advantages but remain insufficiently studied in correctional settings. Ventilation improvement, safer spaces, peer-supported case detection, and integrated TB/HIV services are important components of transmission reduction. Decongestion may have substantial population-level impact, but this conclusion is supported mainly by mathematical modeling and should be interpreted as a projected effect rather than direct prison-specific causal evidence. Post-release continuity remains a major implementation gap, with limited direct evidence for active TB interventions. Sustainable prison TB control requires moving from isolated activities to an integrated, measurable prison–community cascade linking risk-adapted screening, rapid diagnosis, effective treatment, environmental controls, data systems, and confirmed linkage to community care after release
Health care · Infection control · Multidisciplinary approach · Prison · SAFER · Tuberculosis · Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis · Infectious Diseases and Tuberculosis · Tuberculosis Research and Epidemiology
Prevalence of tuberculosis among prisoners in sub-Saharan Africa
Pooling sputum for Xpert MTB/RIF and Xpert Ultra testing during the Covid-19 pandemic in Lao People’s Democratic Republic
New admissions and asymptomatic TB cases seem to fuel TB epidemic in prisons, a cross sectional survey in Tanzania
A Scoping Review of Qualitative Research Methods Used With People in Prison
Tuberculosis in prison
Jail-Based Case Management Improves Retention in HIV Care 12 Months Post Release
Continuity of opioid substitution treatment between prison and community in Southeast Asia
Tuberculosis Outbreaks in State Prisons, United States, 2011–2019
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |