Tuberculosis cases rose by over one-fifth over the past decade (1988-1998) in England and Wales, according to new research by the Public Health Laboratory Service in collaboration with the British Thoracic Society and the Department of Health.
The new data, presented this week at a meeting of the British Thoracic Society, also show that the number of cases of TB in London have risen by 30 per cent since 1993. TB rates in London are four times higher than the rest of England and Wales. Rates of TB have increased from 9.4 per 100,000 people in 1988 to 10.9 per 100,000 in 1998. In 1998 there were 5,658 cases in England and Wales, compared with 4,659 in 1988.
Dr Peter Orm-erod (chest physician, Blackburn Royal Infirmary) presented another study at the meeting showing that only 14 per cent of 42 health districts with high rates of TB met minimum standards for nursing and clerical staff to help treat and monitor the disease. He commented: "TB is not a disease of the history books. It is vitally important that we continue to invest in measures to combat the disease, especially in areas of high incidence."
Dr Ormerod added: "It is a false economy to withdraw money from the fight against TB. The cost of paying staff to control and treat TB effectively is far lower than the huge bill for treating patients with multi-drug resistant forms of the disease, which often results from indequate services to monitor patients."