Tuberculosis is an infection that can affect the lungs, among other organs of the body. Tuberculosis infection of the lungs can be very contagious.
Tuberculosis is common among people who have been in prison or jail.
The researchers studied an outbreak of tuberculosis in a jail in Memphis, Tennessee. They thought this information might help to find ways to prevent tuberculosis from spreading from one person to another. 38 inmates and 5 guards from this jail who had tuberculosis. The researchers interviewed the inmates and guards who had tuberculosis and examined their medical records. The 2 guards with positive cultures had tuberculosis with DNA tests that matched the most common form in the inmates.