Outcome of retinoblastoma treatment protocol in Cameroon as per SIOP-PODC recommendation for a low-income setting.

INTRODUCTION: The International Society of Paediatric Oncology-Paediatric Oncology in Developing Countries (SIOP-PODC) group recommended graduated-intensity retinoblastoma treatment for children in low- and middle-income countries with limited local resources. AIM: The aim was to improve outcome of children with retinoblastoma by means of a treatment protocol for low-income settings as recommended by the SIOP-PODC recommendation in Cameroon. METHODS: Children diagnosed with retinoblastoma between 2012 and 2016 were treated in two Baptist Mission hospitals in Cameroon, staging according to the International Retinoblastoma Staging System. Treatment included local therapy and combination chemotherapy (vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin) with or without surgery as per SIOP-PODC guidelines for low-income countries. Endpoint was survival at 24 months. Kaplan-Meier curves with log-rank (Mantel-Cox) chi-square (χ2 ) with respective p-values were prepared. RESULTS: Eighty-two children were included, of whom 79.3% had unilateral disease. The majority were males (61.0%) with median age 24 months (range 1-112 months; standard deviation [SD] 19). Limited disease was diagnosed in 58.5%, metastatic disease in 35.4%, and unknown stage in 6.1%. Overall survival (OS) was 50.0% at 24 months post diagnosis, but 68.8% for limited disease. Estimated cumulative survival at 24 months was 0.528 (standard error [SE] 0.056). Causes of death included disease progression/relapses (60.5%), neutropenic sepsis (15.9%), unknown causes (18.4%), unrelated infection (2.6%), and death post surgery (2.6%). Stage was significantly associated with OS (p < .001). CONCLUSION: Stage was the most significant factor for good OS and demonstrated the efficacy and feasibility of the SIOP-PODC-proposed management guidelines for retinoblastoma in a lower middle-income setting.

Setting the global research agenda for community-based HIV service delivery through the faith sector.

BACKGROUND: While leading AIDS organizations expect faith and health collaborations to play a crucial role in organizing and scaling up community-based HIV services, it is unclear how this can be realized. Little primary research has been conducted into which strategies for collaboration and service provision are most effective, efficient, scalable and sustainable. Seeking to align research with urgent needs, enhance coordination and increase the likelihood that results are used, this study aimed to set an inclusive global research agenda that reflects priority research questions from key stakeholders at the intersection of HIV healthcare and faith. METHODS: In order to develop this global research agenda, we drew from document analyses, focus group discussions, interviews with purposively selected key informants from all continents (policy-makers, healthcare providers, faith leaders, academics and HIV activists), an online questionnaire, and expert meetings at several global conferences. We carried out focus group discussions and interviews with faith leaders in South Africa. Other stakeholder focus groups and interviews were carried out online or in person in France, Switzerland, the Netherlands and South Africa, and virtual questionnaires were distributed to stakeholders worldwide. Respondents were purposively sampled. RESULTS: We interviewed 53 participants, and 110 stakeholders responded to the online questionnaire. The participants worked in 54 countries, with the majority having research experience (84%), experience with policy processes (73%) and/or experience as a healthcare provider (60%) and identifying as religious (79%). From interviews (N = 53) and questionnaires (N = 110), we identified 10 research themes: addressing sexuality, stigma, supporting specific populations, counselling and disclosure, agenda-setting, mobilizing and organizing funding, evaluating faith-health collaborations, advantage of faith initiatives, gender roles, and education. Respondents emphasized the need for more primary research and prioritized two themes: improving the engagement of faith communities in addressing sexuality and tackling stigma. CONCLUSIONS: A wide range of respondents participated in developing the research agenda. To align research to the prioritized themes and ensure that results are used, it is essential to further engage key users, funders, researchers and other stakeholders, strengthen the capacity for locally embedded research and research uptake and contextualize priorities to diverse religious traditions, key populations and local circumstances.

Reduction in mobility and COVID-19 transmission.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, countries have sought to control SARS-CoV-2 transmission by restricting population movement through social distancing interventions, thus reducing the number of contacts. Mobility data represent an important proxy measure of social distancing, and here, we characterise the relationship between transmission and mobility for 52 countries around the world. Transmission significantly decreased with the initial reduction in mobility in 73% of the countries analysed, but we found evidence of decoupling of transmission and mobility following the relaxation of strict control measures for 80% of countries. For the majority of countries, mobility explained a substantial proportion of the variation in transmissibility (median adjusted R-squared: 48%, interquartile range - IQR - across countries [27-77%]). Where a change in the relationship occurred, predictive ability decreased after the relaxation; from a median adjusted R-squared of 74% (IQR across countries [49-91%]) pre-relaxation, to a median adjusted R-squared of 30% (IQR across countries [12-48%]) post-relaxation. In countries with a clear relationship between mobility and transmission both before and after strict control measures were relaxed, mobility was associated with lower transmission rates after control measures were relaxed indicating that the beneficial effects of ongoing social distancing behaviours were substantial.

Age groups that sustain resurging COVID-19 epidemics in the United States.

After initial declines, in mid-2020 a resurgence in transmission of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) occurred in the United States and Europe. As efforts to control COVID-19 disease are reintensified, understanding the age demographics driving transmission and how these affect the loosening of interventions is crucial. We analyze aggregated, age-specific mobility trends from more than 10 million individuals in the United States and link these mechanistically to age-specific COVID-19 mortality data. We estimate that as of October 2020, individuals aged 20 to 49 are the only age groups sustaining resurgent SARS-CoV-2 transmission with reproduction numbers well above one and that at least 65 of 100 COVID-19 infections originate from individuals aged 20 to 49 in the United States. Targeting interventions-including transmission-blocking vaccines-to adults aged 20 to 49 is an important consideration in halting resurgent epidemics and preventing COVID-19-attributable deaths.

Database of epidemic trends and control measures during the first wave of COVID-19 in mainland China.

OBJECTIVES: In this data collation study, we aimed to provide a comprehensive database describing the epidemic trends and responses during the first wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) throughout the main provinces in China. METHODS: From mid-January to March 2020, we extracted publicly available data regarding the spread and control of COVID-19 from 31 provincial health authorities and major media outlets in mainland China. Based on these data, we conducted descriptive analyses of the epidemic in the six most-affected provinces. RESULTS: School closures, travel restrictions, community-level lockdown, and contact tracing were introduced concurrently around late January but subsequent epidemic trends differed among provinces. Compared with Hubei, the other five most-affected provinces reported a lower crude case fatality ratio and proportion of critical and severe hospitalised cases. From March 2020, as the local transmission of COVID-19 declined, switching the focus of measures to the testing and quarantine of inbound travellers may have helped to sustain the control of the epidemic. CONCLUSIONS: Aggregated indicators of case notifications and severity distributions are essential for monitoring an epidemic. A publicly available database containing these indicators and information regarding control measures is a useful resource for further research and policy planning in response to the COVID-19 epidemic.

State-level tracking of COVID-19 in the United States.

As of 1st June 2020, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported 104,232 confirmed or probable COVID-19-related deaths in the US. This was more than twice the number of deaths reported in the next most severely impacted country. We jointly model the US epidemic at the state-level, using publicly available death data within a Bayesian hierarchical semi-mechanistic framework. For each state, we estimate the number of individuals that have been infected, the number of individuals that are currently infectious and the time-varying reproduction number (the average number of secondary infections caused by an infected person). We use changes in mobility to capture the impact that non-pharmaceutical interventions and other behaviour changes have on the rate of transmission of SARS-CoV-2. We estimate that Rt was only below one in 23 states on 1st June. We also estimate that 3.7% [3.4%-4.0%] of the total population of the US had been infected, with wide variation between states, and approximately 0.01% of the population was infectious. We demonstrate good 3 week model forecasts of deaths with low error and good coverage of our credible intervals.

Evidence of initial success for China exiting COVID-19 social distancing policy after achieving containment.

Background: The COVID-19 epidemic was declared a Global Pandemic by WHO on 11 March 2020. By 24 March 2020, over 440,000 cases and almost 20,000 deaths had been reported worldwide. In response to the fast-growing epidemic, which began in the Chinese city of Wuhan, Hubei, China imposed strict social distancing in Wuhan on 23 January 2020 followed closely by similar measures in other provinces. These interventions have impacted economic productivity in China, and the ability of the Chinese economy to resume without restarting the epidemic was not clear. Methods: Using daily reported cases from mainland China and Hong Kong SAR, we estimated transmissibility over time and compared it to daily within-city movement, as a proxy for economic activity. Results: Initially, within-city movement and transmission were very strongly correlated in the five mainland provinces most affected by the epidemic and Beijing. However, that correlation decreased rapidly after the initial sharp fall in transmissibility. In general, towards the end of the study period, the correlation was no longer apparent, despite substantial increases in within-city movement. A similar analysis for Hong Kong shows that intermediate levels of local activity were maintained while avoiding a large outbreak. At the very end of the study period, when China began to experience the re-introduction of a small number of cases from Europe and the United States, there is an apparent up-tick in transmission. Conclusions: Although these results do not preclude future substantial increases in incidence, they suggest that after very intense social distancing (which resulted in containment), China successfully exited its lockdown to some degree. Elsewhere, movement data are being used as proxies for economic activity to assess the impact of interventions. The results presented here illustrate how the eventual decorrelation between transmission and movement is likely a key feature of successful COVID-19 exit strategies.

Response to COVID-19 in South Korea and implications for lifting stringent interventions.

BACKGROUND: After experiencing a sharp growth in COVID-19 cases early in the pandemic, South Korea rapidly controlled transmission while implementing less stringent national social distancing measures than countries in Europe and the USA. This has led to substantial interest in their "test, trace, isolate" strategy. However, it is important to understand the epidemiological peculiarities of South Korea's outbreak and characterise their response before attempting to emulate these measures elsewhere. METHODS: We systematically extracted numbers of suspected cases tested, PCR-confirmed cases, deaths, isolated confirmed cases, and numbers of confirmed cases with an identified epidemiological link from publicly available data. We estimated the time-varying reproduction number, Rt, using an established Bayesian framework, and reviewed the package of interventions implemented by South Korea using our extracted data, plus published literature and government sources. RESULTS: We estimated that after the initial rapid growth in cases, Rt dropped below one in early April before increasing to a maximum of 1.94 (95%CrI, 1.64-2.27) in May following outbreaks in Seoul Metropolitan Region. By mid-June, Rt was back below one where it remained until the end of our study (July 13th). Despite less stringent "lockdown" measures, strong social distancing measures were implemented in high-incidence areas and studies measured a considerable national decrease in movement in late February. Testing the capacity was swiftly increased, and protocols were in place to isolate suspected and confirmed cases quickly; however, we could not estimate the delay to isolation using our data. Accounting for just 10% of cases, individual case-based contact tracing picked up a relatively minor proportion of total cases, with cluster investigations accounting for 66%. CONCLUSIONS: Whilst early adoption of testing and contact tracing is likely to be important for South Korea's successful outbreak control, other factors including regional implementation of strong social distancing measures likely also contributed. The high volume of testing and the low number of deaths suggest that South Korea experienced a small epidemic relative to other countries. Caution is needed in attempting to replicate the South Korean response in populations with larger more geographically widespread epidemics where finding, testing, and isolating cases that are linked to clusters may be more difficult.

Potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria in low-income and middle-income countries: a modelling study.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has the potential to cause substantial disruptions to health services, due to cases overburdening the health system or response measures limiting usual programmatic activities. We aimed to quantify the extent to which disruptions to services for HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria in low-income and middle-income countries with high burdens of these diseases could lead to additional loss of life over the next 5 years. METHODS: Assuming a basic reproduction number of 3·0, we constructed four scenarios for possible responses to the COVID-19 pandemic: no action, mitigation for 6 months, suppression for 2 months, or suppression for 1 year. We used established transmission models of HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria to estimate the additional impact on health that could be caused in selected settings, either due to COVID-19 interventions limiting activities, or due to the high demand on the health system due to the COVID-19 pandemic. FINDINGS: In high-burden settings, deaths due to HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria over 5 years could increase by up to 10%, 20%, and 36%, respectively, compared with if there was no COVID-19 pandemic. The greatest impact on HIV was estimated to be from interruption to antiretroviral therapy, which could occur during a period of high health system demand. For tuberculosis, the greatest impact would be from reductions in timely diagnosis and treatment of new cases, which could result from any prolonged period of COVID-19 suppression interventions. The greatest impact on malaria burden could be as a result of interruption of planned net campaigns. These disruptions could lead to a loss of life-years over 5 years that is of the same order of magnitude as the direct impact from COVID-19 in places with a high burden of malaria and large HIV and tuberculosis epidemics. INTERPRETATION: Maintaining the most critical prevention activities and health-care services for HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria could substantially reduce the overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust, UK Department for International Development, and Medical Research Council.

The impact of COVID-19 and strategies for mitigation and suppression in low- and middle-income countries.

The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic poses a severe threat to public health worldwide. We combine data on demography, contact patterns, disease severity, and health care capacity and quality to understand its impact and inform strategies for its control. Younger populations in lower-income countries may reduce overall risk, but limited health system capacity coupled with closer intergenerational contact largely negates this benefit. Mitigation strategies that slow but do not interrupt transmission will still lead to COVID-19 epidemics rapidly overwhelming health systems, with substantial excess deaths in lower-income countries resulting from the poorer health care available. Of countries that have undertaken suppression to date, lower-income countries have acted earlier. However, this will need to be maintained or triggered more frequently in these settings to keep below available health capacity, with associated detrimental consequences for the wider health, well-being, and economies of these countries.

Disclosure of human immunodeficiency virus status to children in South Africa: A comprehensive analysis.

BACKGROUND: The extent of disclosure of HIV status to children and adolescents and the context facilitating their disclosure process have received little attention. OBJECTIVES: To assess disclosure and provide a comprehensive analysis of characteristics associated with disclosure to children (3-14 years) receiving antiretroviral treatment in a South African semi-urban clinic. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used structured interview administered questionnaires which were supplemented with medical record data. Predictors included child, caregiver, clinical and socio-economic characteristics, viral suppression, immune response, adherence, health-related quality of life and family functioning. RESULTS: We included 190 children of whom 45 (23.7%) received disclosure about their HIV status, of whom 28 (14.7%) were partially disclosed and 17 (8.9%) were fully disclosed. Older age of the child and higher education of the caregiver were strongly associated with disclosure. Female caregivers, detectable viral load, syrup formulation, protease inhibitor (PI) regimens with stavudine and didanosine, and self-reported non-adherence were strongly associated with non-disclosure. CONCLUSION: When children do well on treatment, caregivers feel less stringent need to disclose. Well-functioning families, higher educated caregivers and better socio-economic status enabled and promoted disclosure. Non-disclosure can indicate a sub-optimal social structure which could negatively affect adherence and viral suppression. There is an urgent need to address disclosure thoughtfully and proactively in the long-term disease management. For the disclosure process to be beneficial, an enabling supportive context is important, which will provide a great opportunity for future interventions.

Destitution, treatment adherence and survival of children with Burkitt lymphoma in a twinning programme in Northwest Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is a curable childhood cancer. Treatment adherence is crucial for a good outcome, but is potentially problematic in low- and middle-income countries owing to parental financial constraints. AIMS: To investigate the association of destitution with treatment adherence and its effect on the survival of patients with BL. METHODS: Patients received free medical treatment from a twinning programme at two Cameroon Baptist hospitals. A destitution assessment questionnaire, based on socioeconomic status, was completed at diagnosis. Medical records were reviewed for treatment adherence and survival. Chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests were used to compare groups. Kaplan-Meier plots were used to calculate overall survival, and log-rank chi-squared tests when comparing survival rates between patient subgroups. Significance was measured at P < .05. RESULTS: The 225 children with BL had a mean age of 8.2 years (median 8.0) and the overall survival was 52%. The mean family destitution score was 56% on a linear scale. Few (8%) patients delayed treatment appointments. A quarter (25%) experienced more than a 1-week follow-up delay and 9.8% absconded within 1 year. The destitution score was not significantly associated with delay of treatment, but with delay in follow-up (P < .001). Guardian relationship (single mother) and patient's age were significantly associated with overall survival (P = .025). CONCLUSIONS: Though linked to poor follow-up, destitution was not significantly associated with absconding patients, poor outcome or poor adherence to treatment, probably due to comprehensive financial support from the international twinning programme. However, additional support for single mothers should be considered.

Off-label Use in Ambulatory Paediatric Clinics in a Central South African Hospital.

AIM: The aim of this article was to determine off-label (OL) use in paediatric ambulatory clinics in a South African central hospital. PATIENTS AND METHODS: OL medicine events were documented in three paediatric clinics (general, highly specialized and dedicated HIV paediatric clinics) at Tygerberg Hospital, South Africa, and analysed according to South African medicine registration information. RESULTS: There were 2167 medicine events for 658 children. Mean age was 5.6 years (interquartile range 1.8-8.8). There were 123 OL medicine events (6%). Extemporaneous OL use was most common (n = 58, 47%), followed by weight (n = 45, 37%) and lack of paediatric data (n = 38, 31%). Of note was OL use for weight for general paediatrics (n = 32, 78%, p < 0.001), lack of appropriate paediatric data for highly specialized paediatrics (n = 26, 61%, p = 0.004) and extemporaneous use for HIV-infected children (n = 34, 87%, p < 0.001), with significant less OL use for HIV-infected children (p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Of note is significant extemporaneous OL use in HIV-infected children.

Paediatric ART Adherence in South Africa: A Comprehensive Analysis.

Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains a challenge for HIV-infected children. In this cross-sectional study, we used structured interview-administered questionnaires and medical records to measure adherence levels and factors associated with adherence and viral suppression. We included 195 South African children aged 2.1-12.9 on ART. Adherence levels ranged between 20.5% (pill count) and 89.1% (self-report). Boys were less adherent according to self-report, girls were less adherent according to pill count. Caregivers ensured medication was taken when the condition directly affected daily life. Well-functioning families and families with high SES provide a context supportive of adherence. Non-disclosure and difficulties administering medication negatively affected adherence and viral suppression. This study shows challenging levels of adherence impacting directly on viral suppression in a South African paediatric HIV program. Gender roles, non-disclosure and difficulty administering medication may undermine adherence and should be taken into account for clinical guidelines, policy design and inform strategies.

A treatment-support intervention evaluated in South African paediatric populations with HIV infection or tuberculous meningitis.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate a paediatric treatment-support intervention for home-based treatment of HIV infection or tuberculous meningitis (TBM). METHODS: A randomised-controlled study comparing local standard care (controls) with standard care plus intervention (combining adherence education, reinforcement and monitoring) in children aged 0-14 years. We recorded adherence measures (self-report, pill-count, drug-assays for isoniazid and rifampicin in urine and pyrazinamide in saliva), difficulties administering medication and PedsQL™questionnaires for health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) and family impact. RESULTS: In the HIV group (6-months follow-up, n = 195), more children had above-median HRQoL-scores in the intervention group than in the control group (P = 0.009). Problems reported administering medication declined between baseline and follow-up for controls (P = 0.043). Disclosure of HIV status to the child increased between baseline and follow-up in both groups (intervention P < 0.001; control P = 0.031). In the TBM group (3-months follow-up, n = 43), all adherence measures remained high for both intervention and controls, except for rifampicin which declined between baseline and follow-up in the intervention group (P = 0.031). The intervention group maintained above median HRQoL-scores between baseline and follow-up, when the number of children with above-median HRQoL-scores decreased in the controls (P = 0.063). More children in the intervention group had above-median family impact-scores than controls (P = 0.040). CONCLUSIONS: The low-cost, culturally friendly treatment-support intervention had beneficial effects on health-related quality of life, family impact, caregiver disclosure of HIV status to the child, increased caregiver reporting of medication non-adherence and caregiver reporting of difficulties administering medication. Treatment adherence was not significantly affected in either HIV or TBM group.

The church and paediatric HIV care in rural South Africa: a qualitative study.

Religion has substantial - positive and negative - influence on South Africa's HIV context. This qualitative study explored possibilities for positive church engagement in paediatric HIV care in a rural district in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Opinions, attitudes and experiences of various stakeholders including religious leaders, healthcare workers and people infected/affected with/by HIV were investigated through participant observation, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. During the research the original focus on paediatric HIV care shifted to HIV care in general in reaction to participant responses. Participants identified three main barriers to positive church engagement in HIV care: (a) stigma and disclosure; (b) sexual associations with HIV and (c) religious beliefs and practices. All participant groups appreciated the opportunity and relevance of strengthening church involvement in HIV care. Opportunities for positive church engagement in HIV care that participants identified included: (a) comprehensive and holistic HIV care when churches and clinics collaborate; (b) the wide social reach of churches and (c) the safety and acceptance in churches. Findings indicate that despite barriers great potential exists for increased positive church engagement in HIV care in rural South Africa. Recommendations include increased medical knowledge and dialogue on HIV/AIDS within church settings, and increased collaboration between churches and the medical sector.

Commercial nucleic acid amplification tests in tuberculous meningitis--a meta-analysis.

Although nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) promise a rapid, definitive diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis, the performance of first-generation NAATs was suboptimal and variable. We conducted a meta-analysis of studies published between 2003 and 2013, using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) tool to evaluate methodological quality. The diagnostic accuracy of newer commercial NAATs was assessed. Pooled estimates of diagnostic accuracy for commercial NAATs measured against a cerebrospinal fluid Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture-positive gold standard were sensitivity 0.64, specificity 0.98, and diagnostic odds ratio 64.0. Heterogeneity was limited; P value = 0.147 and I(2) = 33.85%. The Xpert MTB/RIF® test was evaluated in 1 retrospective study and 4 prospective studies, with pooled sensitivity 0.70 and specificity 0.97. The QUADAS-2 tool revealed low risk of bias, as well as low concerns regarding applicability. Heterogeneity was pronounced among studies of in-house tests. Commercial NAATs proved to be highly specific with greatly reduced heterogeneity compared to in-house tests. Sub-optimal sensitivity remains a limitation.

Short intensified treatment in children with drug-susceptible tuberculous meningitis.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization recommends 12-month treatment (2RHZE/10RH) for children with tuberculous meningitis (TBM). Studies evaluating length of antituberculous treatment for TBM report similar completion and relapse rates comparing 6-month treatment with 12-month treatment. METHODS: A prospective evaluation to determine whether short-course intensified treatment (6 RHZEth for HIV-infected and 9RHZEth for HIV-infected) is sufficient and safe in children with drug-susceptible TBM. RESULTS: Of 184 children with TBM, median age 58 months and 90 (49%) male, 98 children (53%) presented at stage II TBM, 64 (35%) at stage III TBM and only 22 (12%) at stage I TBM. Ninety (49%) children were treated at home after the first month of therapy; all others received their full treatment in hospital. The HIV prevalence was 14% (22/155 children tested). Anti-TB drug-induced hepatotoxicity occurred in 5% (8 of 143 children tested), all tested negative for viral hepatitis; in all 8 cases, the original regimen was restarted without recurrence. After treatment completion, 147 (80%) children had a good outcome, 7 (3.8%) died. There was no difference in outcome between HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected children who completed treatment (P = 0.986) nor between TBM-hydrocephalic children who were medically treated or shunted (P = 0.166). CONCLUSION: Short intensified treatment is safe and effective in both HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected children with drug-susceptible TBM.

State of affairs of tuberculosis in prison facilities: a systematic review of screening practices and recommendations for best TB control.

BACKGROUND: Prisoners are at high risk of developing tuberculosis (TB), causing morbidity and mortality. Prison facilities encounter many challenges in TB screening procedures and TB control. This review explores screening practices for detection of TB and describes limitations of TB control in prison facilities worldwide. METHODS: A systematic search of online databases (e.g., PubMed and Embase) and conference abstracts was carried out. Research papers describing screening and diagnostic practices among prisoners were included. A total of 52 articles met the inclusion criteria. A meta-analysis of TB prevalence in prison facilities by screening and diagnostic tools was performed. RESULTS: The most common screening tool was symptom questionnaires (63·5%), mostly reporting presence of cough. Microscopy of sputum with Ziehl-Neelsen staining and solid culture were the most frequently combined diagnostic methods (21·2%). Chest X-ray and tuberculin skin tests were used by 73·1% and 50%, respectively, as either a screening and/or diagnostic tool. Median TB prevalence among prisoners of all included studies was 1,913 cases of TB per 100,000 prisoners (interquartile range [IQR]: 332-3,517). The overall annual median TB incidence was 7·0 cases per 1000 person-years (IQR: 2·7-30·0). Major limitations for successful TB control were inaccuracy of diagnostic algorithms and the lack of adequate laboratory facilities reported by 61·5% of studies. The most frequent recommendation for improving TB control and case detection was to increase screening frequency (73·1%). DISCUSSION: TB screening algorithms differ by income area and should be adapted to local contexts. In order to control TB, prison facilities must improve laboratory capacity and frequent use of effective screening and diagnostic tools. Sustainable political will and funding are critical to achieve this.