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Background: Tuberculosis remains a major challenge to public health worldwide. According WHO, the prevalence of tuberculosis in prisons is very high, accounting for up to 25% of the TB burden in a given country, and is reported to be 10-to 100-folds higher than in the general population. Prisons are increasingly becoming ideal breeding grounds for the concentration and dissemination of TB including MDR-TBTB, from which infection is transmitted to the general population. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis and MDR-TB in prison settings of North Gondar zone(NGZ). Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from February to April,2015among prisoners of NGZ. All prison inmates who had history of cough for ≥ 2 weeks were included in the study. Socio-demographic variables and potential risk factors were assessed using structured questionnaire. Pre and post HIV test counseling was provided after written consent obtained from PTB suspected inmates. Three sputum samples were collected and kept in ice box and transported to the University of Gondar. Sputum samples were examined through LED-FM and positive samples were further examined using Gene Xpert MTB/RIF assay for MDR-TB. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20and P-value <0.05 was taken as significant. Results: A total of 282 prison inmates suspected for PTB were enrolled in the study. The overall prevalence of smear-positive P TB was 5.3% (15/282).All smear positive PTB cases were found non-MDR-TB cases. The magnitude of TB/HIV co-infection among PTB cases was found 24%. Smear positive PTB infection was significantly associated with smoking (AOR=7.16,95% CI=1.76-29), malnourished (BMI <18.5kg/m2) (AOR =16.26, 95% CI=4.5-67.9)and number of inmates per cell>100(AOR= 10.32= 95% CI=3.29-8.51).Conclusion and Recommendation: In this study, the prevalence of PTB among prisoners was found to be 2 times higher than in the general population. NoMDR-TB case was detected. Factors such as TB/HIV co-infection, malnourished, over crowding, smoking, previous history of contact with TB patient were associated with PTB infection. Special attention should be given to reduce spread of TB in prisons. |
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