Infectious Diseases Prevention and Control in Canadian Federal Penitentiaries 2000-01

Publications

Infectious Diseases
Prevention and Control
in Canadian Federal
Penitentiaries 2000-01

Glossary of terms

AIDS: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a fatal condition that arises from HIV infection. A diagnosis of AIDS is made upon identification of certain indicator infections. The median time from HIV infection to AIDS diagnosis now exceeds 10 years.

Asymptomatic: The lack of symptoms despite the presence of infection.

CSC-IDSS: Correctional Service of Canada Infectious Diseases Surveillance System. It is the health surveillance system of CSC for tracking human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B and C, and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in federal inmates in CSC institutions. Data from the CSC-IDSS complement the CSC Tuberculosis tracking system for monitoring TB infections among federal inmates and correctional staff.

General population inmate: For the purpose of CSC surveillance, an offender is considered a general population inmate if he/she has been in CSC custody longer than 6 weeks from the time of sentencing and is housed in a CSC institution. This group includes all temporary detainees and provincial inmates in federal prisons.

HBV: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one class of viral agents that causes the clinical disease known as hepatitis, a group of diseases of the liver. Hepatitis A and B are the only types of viral hepatitis infections for which a vaccine exists.

HCV: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one class of viral agents that causes the clinical disease known as hepatitis, a group of diseases of the liver. No vaccine exists for hepatitis C.

HCV antibody test: This is a diagnostic laboratory test used to determine whether a person has been infected with HCV.

HIV: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the viral agent that causes the clinical condition called AIDS. HIV attacks the immune system, resulting in a chronic progressive illness that leaves the infected people vulnerable to opportunistic infections. A person with HIV, however, does not necessarily have AIDS. HIV infection leads to a progressive and persistent impairment of the immune system, rendering an infected person susceptible to opportunistic infections.

HIV antibody test: This is a diagnostic laboratory test used to determine whether a person has been infected with HIV.

Incidence: The number of new occurrences of disease within an interval of time.

Injection drug use: A method used to inject drugs into a vein or under the surface of the skin through either a needle or syringe.

New admission: For the purpose of CSC surveillance, an offender is considered a new admission if he/she has been in CSC custody less than 6 weeks from the time of sentencing and has entered CSC at a federal reception facility. This group includes all new warrants of committal, revocations, exchanges of service and transfers.

Non-identifying reporting: This is a reporting system in which no identifying information is provided to public health officials when reporting epidemiological data (also called non-nominal reporting).

Positive disease test report: This refers to the total number of diagnostic tests for a given disease that are positive (laboratory confirmed cases) during a specified period of time. The number of positive disease test reports is a reflection of those who came forward for testing, were diagnosed with disease and were reported. It does not necessarily represent the total number of individuals living with a disease (i.e., prevalence) or the number of persons newly infected each year (i.e., incidence).

Prevalence: The total number of persons with a given disease at a designated time.

Risk factor: A risk factor is a behaviour (e.g., having unprotected sex) or characteristic (e.g., age) known to carry a high probability of infection for a given disease.

STD: A sexually transmitted disease (STD), is an infection acquired through sexual contact with an infected person. CSC conducts surveillance for the three most commonly reported bacterial STDs in Canada: genital chlamydia, gonorrhea and infectious syphilis.

Test positivity: Test positivity refers to the proportion of inmates who have been voluntarily tested and among whom a positive disease test was reported.

Testing uptake rate: The testing uptake rate is an estimate of the proportion of total inmates who voluntarily test for disease.

Voluntary testing: When a diagnostic test is provided to a patient upon informed consent, the patient is said to have undergone "voluntary testing". The test is given to elucidate the presence or absence of infection.

Window period: This is the time period between infection and the ability to diagnostically detect an infection. During the window period, antibody testing may show a negative result, as antibodies may not have yet been produced, even though the person is infected.