Prevention and control of tuberculosis outbreaks in educational institutions. An integrative review

Quiroz-Ruiz H.R.; Hernández-Palomino F.N. · Salud Uninorte (2025) · DOI: 10.14482/sun.41.03.910.565

Resumen

Introduction: The emergence of tuberculosis (TB) in educational institutions constitutes a significant challenge due to the risk of transmission in closed and highly crowded spaces, generating concern in the community and requiring rapid and effective responses for its control. Objective: To synthesize information from international literature addressing measures taken for the prevention and control of TB outbreaks in educational institutions. Methodology: An integrative review was conducted by searching literature in three databases: Scopus, PubMed, and SciELO from 2000 to 2023. Studies included in this paper addressed interventions for TB outbreaks in school settings, categorized by country, type of educational institution, index case role, and TB type. Information synthesis considered three dimensions: prevention measures, control measures, and challenges. Results: Twenty-seven studies were included. The outbreaks occurred at all educational levels but predominantly in secondary schools. The index cases were mainly students. By the way, 18.5% (5/27) of the included documents reported MDR-TB outbreaks. A total of 7 prevention measures, 9 control measures, and 8 challenges are described. Conclusion: TB outbreaks in educational institutions are recurrent. Flexible prevention and control strategies are required. Strengthening surveillance, promoting health education, and adapting measures to each context are key. Additionally, coordination between national guidelines and local plans, along with increased investment in research, is essential for an effective response.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Pedro Ruiz Gallo; Universidad Privada del Norte