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OBJECTIVE:To estimate the prevalences of tuberculosis and latent tuberculosis in inmates. METHODS:Observational study was carried out with inmates of a prison and a jail in the State of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, between March and December of 2008. Questionnaires were used to collect sociodemographic and epidemiological data. Tuberculin skin testing was administered (PPD-RT23-2TU/0.1 mL), and the following laboratory tests were also performed: sputum smear examination, sputum culture, identifi cation of strains isolated and drug susceptibility testing. The variables were compared using Pearson's chi-square (χ2) association test, Fisher's exact test and the proportion test.

This study suggests that the communicant employees have a larger risk of if they infect for the M. tuberculosis and consequently of being sick of tuberculosis.