Cases of TB in Yorkshire and Humber remain high

24 March 2009

New provisional figures released today by the Health Protection Agency to mark World TB Day (24 March), show that cases of the disease in the United Kingdom have increased by 2% (from 8,496 cases reported in 2007 to 8,679 in 2008).

Although the number of cases reported in Yorkshire and the Humber decreased slightly, by 2% in 2008 when compared to the previous year (from 672 to 657), local health experts say that this figure needs to be reduced further.

Dr Ruth Gelletlie, Regional Director of HPA Yorkshire and the Humber, said: "It is encouraging that we have seen a reduction in the number of cases of TB in our region. However, TB is a preventable and treatable disease and so there is no reason for it to be in our communities at levels demonstrated by these latest figures."

TB is an infection caused by bacteria which can spread in the air when a person with a TB infection in the lung coughs or sneezes. It most often affects the lungs, but can affect other parts of the body too. The TB infection develops slowly in the body, and usually takes several months for symptoms to appear. Symptoms include:

• Fever and night sweats
• Persistent cough
• Losing weight
• Blood in your sputum (phlegm or spit) at any time

Dr Gelletlie added: "The key to halting the health burden which this disease causes in the UK is prompt diagnosis and treatment of infectious cases. We are working closely with health professionals in our region and across the country, to continually develop ways of controlling this disease. A TB conference for health professionals, to be held in our region later this year, is a good example of how we are doing this locally and we also have health professionals working in a specialist network of laboratories to test TB, identify strains and check for drug resistance.

"We know the burden of TB exists mainly in high risk groups including hard-to-reach communities in the UK. We are working with the Department of Health on outreach programmes to tackle directly the areas and groups with the highest numbers." 

There are a number of key, simple facts about TB that health professionals and the general public alike should be mindful of.

• TB is curable. It is usually treated with a six-month course of antibiotics, which MUST be completed in order to discourage recurrence of disease or drug resistance.
• Symptoms include: fever and night sweats, persistent cough, weight loss and blood in sputum.
• It is unusual to catch TB simply by sitting next to an infected person on the train. The infection normally requires prolonged and close contact in order to spread from person to person.
• It's important to be aware of the differences between latent TB infection and TB disease. Latent TB infection is usually detected by a positive skin test reaction. For most people who have latent TB infection from breathing in TB bacteria, their bodies are able to fight the bacteria to stop them from developing TB disease. People with latent TB infection have no symptoms, don't feel ill and cannot spread TB to others.
• Most people who have latent TB infection will never develop TB disease as the TB bacteria remain inactive for a lifetime without causing disease. However, for some people, such as those who have weak immune systems, the bacteria can become active and cause TB disease.
• TB affects children and adults differently. It is very uncommon to catch TB from a child with the disease.
• At TB clinics where the disease is treated, there is no prescription charge - the treatment is free for the patient.

Ends

Notes to editors:

1.

2. For further information about TB and to download a copy of this year's newsletter, go to: http://www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&Page&HPAwebAutoListName/Page/1191942150134?p=1191942150134

3. World TB Day is held on 24 March each year and celebrates and aims to raise awareness of the infectious but preventable and treatable disease amongst members of the public and healthcare professionals. For further information about World TB Day 2009, go to:  http://www.stoptb.org/events/world_tb_day/2009/ 

Issued by Charlotte Farrar
Charlotte.farrar@hpa.org.uk
0113 284 0618
07810 684 104

Last reviewed: 25 September 2009