A National Active Case-Finding Program for Tuberculosis in Prisons, Peru, 2024

Abstract

Abstract From January to September 2024, a national active case-finding program in Peru’s prisons screened more than 38,000 incarcerated persons for tuberculosis using chest radiography with automated interpretation and rapid molecular diagnostics, yielding a tuberculosis prevalence of 2,800 per 100,000 persons, with 11.4% of cases rifampicin-resistant; 42.5% of cases were subclinical. Article Summary Line A recent, nationwide mass screening program in Peru’s prisons using digital radiography with automated interpretation and molecular testing identified high tuberculosis prevalence and rates of rifampicin resistance, highlighting the need for active case-finding as an efficient strategy to identify undiagnosed TB burden in high-risk populations.