New admissions and asymptomatic TB cases seem to fuel TB epidemic in prisons, a cross sectional survey in Tanzania.

There is an increased risk for tuberculosis (TB) infection and disease progression in prison settings. TB prevalence in prisons in low- and middle-income countries have been measured to be up to 50 -times higher than in the general population. The aim of the study was to perform active TB screening and estimate the burden of TB in central prisons in Tanzania mainland.