Tuberculosis Outbreaks in State Prisons, United States, 2011–2019

Bibliographic Data

ID11040174
AuthorsRebekah J Stewart (0000-0002-2620-412X, The authors are with the Division of Tuberculosis Elimination, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.), Kala M Raz (0000-0002-2312-0000, The authors are with the Division of Tuberculosis Elimination, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.), Scott P Burns (The authors are with the Division of Tuberculosis Elimination, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.), Scott Burns (National Center for HIV/AIDS Viral Hepatitis STD and TB Prevention), J Steve Kammerer (The authors are with the Division of Tuberculosis Elimination, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.), Maryam B Haddad (0000-0001-6327-068X, The authors are with the Division of Tuberculosis Elimination, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.), Benjamin J Silk (The authors are with the Division of Tuberculosis Elimination, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.), Jonathan M Wortham (0000-0003-0355-5290, The authors are with the Division of Tuberculosis Elimination, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.)
Year2022
Volume112
Issue8
Pages1170-1179
Publication date2022-08-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048
PublisherAmerican Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2105/ajph.2022.306864
PMID35830666
OpenAlexW4285384833
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited18

Objectives. To understand the frequency, magnitude, geography, and characteristics of tuberculosis outbreaks in US state prisons. Methods. Using data from the National Tuberculosis Surveillance System, we identified all cases of tuberculosis during 2011 to 2019 that were reported as occurring among individuals incarcerated in a state prison at the time of diagnosis. We used whole-genome sequencing to define 3 or more cases within 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms within 3 years as clustered; we classified clusters with 6 or more cases during a 3-year period as tuberculosis outbreaks. Results. During 2011 to 2019, 566 tuberculosis cases occurred in 41 state prison systems (a median of 3 cases per state). A total of 19 tuberculosis genotype clusters comprising 134 cases were identified in 6 state prison systems; these clusters included a subset of 5 outbreaks in 2 states. Two Alabama outbreaks during 2011 to 2017 totaled 20 cases; 3 Texas outbreaks during 2014 to 2019 totaled 51 cases. Conclusions. Only Alabama and Texas reported outbreaks during the 9-year period; only Texas state prisons had ongoing transmission in 2019. Effective interventions are needed to stop tuberculosis outbreaks in Texas state prisons. (Am J Public Health. 2022;112(8):1170–1179. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.306864 )

Environmental health · Geography · Outbreak · Pathology · Prison · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Public health · Transmission (telecommunications) · Tuberculosis · Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens research · Demography · Medicine · Pneumonia and Respiratory Infections · Tuberculosis Research and Epidemiology · Virology