Tuberculosis remains high on World TB Day

Greater Manchester remains a hotbed for tuberculosis according to new data published today to mark World TB Day.

As in previous years, the majority of the North West cases were in Greater Manchester with 465 cases reported in 2008 compared to 460 cases in 2007.

Encouragingly the number of pulmonary TB cases in Greater Manchester was slightly down in 2008 with 216 reports compared to 233 in 2007.

Nationally, TB cases increased by 2% from 8,496 reported in 2007 to 8,679 in 2008, while in the North West the figures appear to have stabilised at the comparatively high level of 758 cases reported in 2008 compared to 760 in 2007.

Dr. Marko Petrovic, the Health Protection Authority’s TB lead for the North West Region, said: “We seem to have reached a plateau here in the North West with the provisional data for 2008 little different from the validated data for 2007.

“TB levels are low in the general population, but they remain worryingly high in our inner cities. Many of the reported cases are in people who have links with countries where TB is widespread, but this is a disease that can affect any one of us, so it is important for everyone to be aware of the symptoms and to seek medical advice whenever it is suspected. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of infectious cases is the key to halting the spread of disease in the wider population.”

TB is an infection caused by bacteria spreading in the air when a person with a TB infection in the lung coughs or sneezes. It usually affects the lungs (pulmonary TB), but can affect other parts of the body too. TB infection develops slowly in the body, and it usually takes several months for symptoms to appear. Symptoms include fever and night sweats, a persistent cough, loss of weight and blood in your phlegm or spit at any time.

TB is generally 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. Patients generally cease to be infectious after just two weeks on treatment.

It is unusual to catch TB simply by sitting next to an infected person on the train or bus. The infection normally requires prolonged and close contact in order to spread from person to person.

Only about a quarter of TB cases in the UK have the ‘open’ form of the disease which is potentially infectious for others. Most cases present little or no risk to others.

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.

Prof Maria Zambon, Director of the Agency’s Centre for Infections, said: “TB is preventable and treatable – health professionals and the general public alike should be mindful of these key, simple facts about TB.

“The Agency is working closely with health professionals to continually develop ways of controlling TB, including the provision of a specialist network of laboratories which test TB to identify strains and check for drug resistance.”