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Open Tuberculosis in Police Custody Suites, the Risks to those Working there and Current United Kingdom Public Health Legislation

Abstract

Robert M. Bruce-Chwatt

There are at present 1.7 billion people worldwide infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and 1.7 million die every year. In the UK tuberculosis not yet endemic, but cases have doubled in the last 10 years to more than 9,000 in 2010. The main source of TB being from the immigrants and asylum seekers, both legal and clandestine, who come to the UK in ever increasing numbers. They are often seen by forensic medical examiners (FMEs) following arrest. The detainees present a problem of diagnosis and risk management for all in the custody system. Despite TB being the most common cause of illness and death among people with HIV and Aids in the European region, very few co-ordinates the treatment of the co-infection properly, due to poor patient chemo-compliance and rising costs.