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TB in the UK

TB incidence has been rising in Great Britain since the late 1980s.

The latest confirmed figures show that there were 8,417 reported cases of TB in the UK in 2007, a rate of 13.8 per 100,000 population.

While this shows a small decrease in numbers (0.9%) compared to 2006, provisional statistics released by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) to coincide with World TB Day 2009 revealed that cases of the infection rose by 2% from 2007 to 2008.

The number of people infected by the illness increased from 8,496 to 8,679, according to the figures. The main burden of disease remains concentrated in certain urban areas, with 39% of all cases in London, giving it a rate of 43.2 per 100,000.

Provisional new TB cases by region, UK, 2005-2008

                % change in numbers
Region 2005 2006 2007 2008 05 - 06 06 - 07 07 - 08
East Midlands 563 579 574 535 3% -1% -7%
East of England 474 446 359 474 -6% -20% 32%
London 3541 3445 3333 3415 -3% -3% 2%
North East 136 145 199 172 7% 37% -14%
North West 749 764 759 758 2% -1% 0%
Northern Ireland 76 61 65 59 -20% 7% -9%
Scotland 362 384 401 455 6% 4% 13%
South East 508 645 727 692 27% 13% -5%
South West 268 280 273 268 4% -3% -2%
Wales 164 168 193 167 2% 15% -13%
West Midlands 938 984 941 1027 5% -4% 9%
Yorkshire and the Humber 591 654 672 657 11% 3% -2%
UK 8370 8555 8496 8679 2% -1% 2%

(Click here to see TB rates per Primary Care Trust)

TB case reports, rates and annual percentage change, England, 2000-2007

  Year Number of cases Rate (per 100,000) Annual change in case numbers (%)
2000
6091 12.4 -
2001
6414 13.0 5.3
2002
6638 13.4 3.5
2003
6741 13.5 1.6
2004
7049 14.1 4.6
2005
7846 15.5 11.3
2006
7862 15.5 0.2
2007
7742 15.2 -1.5

(All statistics from the Health Protection Agency)

The cases in the UK are just a pale reflection of the nine million individuals affected by active TB every year worldwide.  In the UK we are fortunate that TB mortality rates are low, but globally around 1.7 million people a year die because they can not access good treatment. Click here for more on TB worldwide.

 
John White
think TB leaflet
Shelia McConnell
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