Microbial Status of Prison Inmates in Abakaliki Prison, Ebonyi State Southeastern Nigeria

Prisoners in developing countries live in extremely poor conditions. They carry a much greater burden of illness than other members of the society. They harbor diseases that are determined both by the environment from which they come and by the prison in which they live. This study aimed at determining the epidemiology of intestinal, haemoparasites and urinary infection among the inmates of Abakaliki prison. Venous blood, stool and clean-catch midstream urine specimens were collected from each informed and consenting prison inmate and analyzed following standard laboratory methods. A total of three hundred and fifty (350) prison inmates were enrolled in this study. Among this, 267 (76.29%) were positive for intestinal parasites, 193 (55.14%) were positive for urinary bacteria while 324 (92.57%) were positive for malaria parasites. The pathogens were observed to be higher among prison inmates who had been incarcerated for a longer duration than among those with shorter duration of incarceration. This study advocates immediate renovation and decongestion of prisons, as well as continuous education of prison inmates and prison officers, adequate nutrition and proper cooking of food served to inmates. Provision of potable water, improved toilets, beddings, clothing and social welfare facilities.