TUBERCULOSIS AND HIV-INFECTION IN NEW INMATES IN FEDERAL-BUREAU-OF-PRISONS FACILITIES

A significant change in the manner in which medical data were managed in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) occurred in calendar year 1992 (CY 92), Prior to CY 92, all BOP medical data were stored only as hard copy medical records. Beginning with CY 92, medical records data for all inmates have been transcribed to magnetic tape using the BOP SENTR Y system. This study was an initial attempt to determine if this innov ation mould permit the development of meaningful infectious diseases d ata on BOP inmates, Our objective was to define the prevalence of tube rculosis (TB) skin test positivity, active TB, and HIV infection in ne w BOP inmates in CY 92 and to compare the new inmate population with t he total BOP 1992 prisoner population. This initial study is Important for two reasons: (1) the BOP SENTRY system for demographic and medica l data was found to be a feasible tool for disease surveillance purpos es; and (2) the 1992 new inmate population had much greater prevalence s of purified protein derivative positivity, active TB, and HIV infect ion compared to the total BOP population, These findings may signal an increase in serious infectious diseases in BOP prisoners.