Tuberculosis

Decline in TB rates in England

New figures show rates of Tuberculosis (TB) in england have declined by 1/3 in 6 years and are currently at their lowest level in 35 years
The data from Public Health England shows a 38% fall since 2012, with a 9.3% decline in cases in 2017 alone
Improved diagnosis, treatment and awareness are being credited for the fall
But england still has one of the highest TB rates in western europe with just under 5,200 affeted in 2017
And TB is still one of the leading caues of death worldwide

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TB is a bacterial infection spread through inhaling tiny droplets from the coughs or sneezes of an infected person
It mainly affects the lungs, but it can affect any part of the body, including the stomach glands, bones and nervous system
The most common TB symptoms are a persistent cough for more than 3 weeks, unexplained weight loss, fever and night sweats
TB can be fatal if left untreated- but can be cured if treated with the right antibiotics over a course of six months.
The BCG vaccine offers protection against TB, and is recommended for babies, children and adults under the age of 35 who are at risk of catching TB
At-risk groups include: children living in areas with high rates of TB and people with close family members from countries with high TB rates
The most recent data on infection rates show parts of London still have higher TB rates than some developing countries, such as Iraq, Libya and even Yemen

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Last year (2017) researchers in Oxford and Birmingham reported they had made a world-first breakthrough in the diagnosis of tuberculosis
They managed to isolate different strains of the disease using a process called genome sequencing
It means patients who may have waited months to get the right drugs can now be diagnosed in only a few days - so they have a greater chance of recovery
While figures have gone down over the last six years in England, another issue in the battle to eradicate TB is drug resistance
A recent study found one in five global cuases of the disease is now resistant to at least one major treatment drug

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