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| Dr Lily Telisinghe - Project Manager |
"A preliminary study of screening for tuberculosis in a South African correctional facility"
Summary
Correctional facilities provide a unique environment for the spread of tuberculosis with increased rates of infection. Overcrowding, poor ventilation, malnutrition and depressed immune status have all been implicated for the increased rates seen within these facilities1, 2. Studies done in Sub-Saharan Africa using active screening have shown tuberculosis rates in correctional facilities to be at least ten times higher than the national rate3, 4. Published data looking at the burden of tuberculosis within South African correctional facilities are not available.
Therefore The Aurum Institute in collaboration with the Department of Correctional Services, South Africa, the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, South Africa, the National Health Laboratory Services, South Africa and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, U.K. are conducting a study titled a preliminary study of screening for tuberculosis in a South African correctional facility, within medium B of the Johannesburg correctional facility. The objectives of this study are:
- Primary objective:
- Determine the prevalence of active tuberculosis among inmates at the Johannesburg correctional facility
- Secondary objectives:
- Determine the proportion of prevalent TB that is undiagnosed
- Comparing screening methods (symptoms, CXR, sputum microscopy and sputum culture) to determine the optimal screening tool for active TB among offenders.
- Investigate risk factors for prevalent TB, including HIV infection.
- Explore the prevalence of drug resistant TB
- Explore the prevalence of TB among correctional facility staff that have volunteered to be tested
The results of this study will give a more accurate picture of the burden of disease within the correctional facility and guide future policy on screening for tuberculosis in correctional facilities in South Africa.
Investigators
The Aurum Institute, South Africa
- Dr Salome Charalambous - PI
- Dr Lily Telisinghe - Co-PI
- Professor Gavin Churchyard
Department of Correctional Services, South Africa
Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, South Africa
- Dr Alan Karstaedt
- Dr Natasha Davies
National Health Laboratory Services, Johannesburg, South Africa
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, U.K.
- Dr Alison Grant
- Dr Katherine Fielding
Contact Details:
Dr Lily Telisinghe
Project Manager
Department of Correctional Services TB Screening Study
The Aurum Institute
The Ridge
29 Queens Road
Parktown
Johannesburg
E mail:
Cell: +27(0)839421832
References
- Hussain H, Akhtar S, Nanan D. Prevalence of and risk factors associated with mycobacterium tuberculosis in prisoners, North West Frontier Province, Pakistan. International Journal of Epidemiology 2003; 32:794-799
- Puisis M, Feinglass J, Lidow E, Mansour M. Radiographic screening for Tuberculosis in a large urban county Jail. Public Health Rep 1996 Jul-Aug; 111(4):330-4
- Rapid assessment of tuberculosis in a large prison system. Botswana 2002. CDC
- Nyangulu D S et al. Tuberculosis in a prison population in Malawi. Lancet 1997 Nov1; 35(9087):1284-7
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