Tuberculosis in the spotlight
An international conference organised by the Public Health Agency (PHA) will mark this year’s World TB Day on 24 March.
Although the number of Tuberculosis (TB) cases in Northern Ireland is low compared with other parts of the UK, the global threat of TB has direct implications here as a result of increasing numbers of new entrants to the province and the increasing threat of Multi-Drug Resistant TB (MDRTB).
The event, which takes place in Belfast on Friday 23 March, will bring together experts on the potentially life-threatening disease to raise awareness and share experiences.
Delegates will include representatives of new entrant organisations, the housing sector and environmental health, as well as experts from England and the Republic of Ireland.
Dr Michael Devine, Consultant in Health Protection, PHA, who will be speaking at the conference said: “We want to raise awareness of TB among colleagues working in health services and also people in the voluntary and community sectors. Early identification, diagnosis and treatment of new cases of TB are the most important measures for prevention and control.
“Although people may think of TB as a disease of the past, the risk is that we become complacent, and with new drug-resistant types of TB evolving, it is essential that we maintain vigilance and know what to look out for.”
Speaking ahead of the conference Dr Michael McBride, Chief Medical Officer said: “Although the number of TB cases in Northern Ireland is low compared with other parts of the UK, increased population movement to and from countries with high incidence rates of TB, mean it is vital that we do not become complacent, we must maintain effective measures to strengthen the control of TB in Northern Ireland.”
The key objectives of the conference will include improving education to increase TB awareness, tackle inequalities and ensure optimal care for TB patients.
Each year approximately 60 cases of active TB are diagnosed in Northern Ireland. In 2011 there were 63 cases reported. Globally, an increasing number of cases are caused by MDRTB. These drug resistant cases require more prolonged and complex treatment and are associated with higher mortality and morbidity. Since 2004, there have been 12 cases of Drug Resistant Tuberculosis in Northern Ireland.
Contact the Public Health Agency on 028 9055 3663
- The TB Conference is being held in Riddel Hall, Stranmillis, Belfast from 9.30am – 4.30pm
Global TB
TB is a disease of poverty affecting young adults in their most productive years and is an increasing world-wide problem. More than two billion – one third of the world’s total population – are infected with TB bacteria. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that globally there were 9.4 million new cases of TB in 2009, including 1.1 million cases among people infected with HIV. Most of the new TB cases in 2009 occurred in South-East Asia, African and Western Pacific regions. It is estimated that in 2009, 3.3% of all new TB cases had MDRTB. HIV infection is the most important factor contributing to the increased incidence of TB since 1990. In 2009, an estimated 11–13% of new cases of TB were HIV positive. Globally, 1.7 million people died from TB in 2009, including 380,000 women. The vast majority of TB related deaths are in the developing world.
TB in the UK
There were 9,040 cases of TB in the UK in 2009 – the highest number in the UK for nearly 30 years, giving an overall rate of 15 cases per 100,000 population in the UK. Most of the cases occurred in England (92%), followed by Scotland with 5%, Wales with 2% and Northern Ireland 1%. The rate of TB was highest in London which had 38% of all UK cases. The number of new drug resistant TB cases has nearly doubled in the past 10 years from 206 cases in 2000 to 389 cases in 2009. Most of the cases were young adults aged 15–44 year (60%) and non-UK born (73%). The rates of TB in the non-UK born are twenty fold higher (around 86 per 100,000) than those born in the UK (around 4 per 100,000). The majority of non-UK born cases were diagnosed two or more years after arrival in the UK. Approximately one in ten cases had at least one social risk factor (homelessness, drug or alcohol misuse or imprisonment), with a quarter reporting more than one risk factor.
TB in Northern Ireland
There were 69 cases of TB reported in Northern Ireland in 2007, giving a rate of 3.9 per 100 000 population. TB rates in Northern Ireland are approximately three times lower than for England and Wales, and significantly lower than in the Republic of Ireland. The distribution of TB cases across the former Health and Social Care Board areas in 2007 was as follows: Eastern had 29 cases, Southern had 18 cases, Northern had 11 cases and Western had 11 cases. TB surveillance information in 2010 indicates an increasing proportion of cases occurring in the Southern Trust area which had 34% of all TB cases in 2010 compared with 26% in 2007.
In Northern Ireland the highest proportion of cases occurred in the 25–34 year age group for men, and 35–44 year age-group for women.
The proportion of TB cases in Northern Ireland who were born outside the UK or Ireland has continued to increase in recent years. An estimated 53% of total cases notified in 2007 were born outside of the UK or Ireland compared with 38% of cases in 2006. The ages of TB cases born outside the UK or Ireland are significantly lower than those born within UK or Ireland.