Current Trends Tuberculosis -- United States, 1984
In 1984, a provisional total of 21,701 tuberculosis cases was
reported to CDC, a 9.0% decline from the 1983 final total of 23,846
cases. Similarly, in 1984 the provisional incidence rate was 9.2
cases per 100,000 population, a decline of 9.8% from the 1983 final
rate of 10.2/10,000 (Figure 4).
Final mortality data recently released by the National Center
for
Health Statistics indicate that, in 1982, there were 1,807
tuberculosis deaths, a decline of 6.7% from the 1,937 deaths
reported
in 1981.
Reported by Div of Tuberculosis Control, Center for Prevention
Svcs,
CDC.
Editorial Note
Editorial Note: From 1975 through 1978, the average annual
decrease
in the tuberculosis incidence rate was 6.3% (Figure 4). From 1978
through 1981, when there was a large influx of Southeast Asian
refugees, the average annual decline was only 3.2%. A 7.6%
decrease
in 1982, a 7.3% decrease in 1983, and the provisional 9.8% decrease
in
1984 indicate that the previous downward trend has resumed.
Three factors may have contributed to the decreased incidence
of
tuberculosis: (1) a decline in the number of indigenous
tuberculosis
cases; (2) a decline in the number of refugees with tuberculosis
arriving in the United States (since 1983, Indochinese refugees
with
tuberculosis have been completing supervised, directly observed
chemotherapy in Southeast Asia before coming to the United States);
and (3) an increase in the number of states using the new national
individual case reporting system, which requires more accurate
verification of cases before they are counted.
In 1980, the number of tuberculosis deaths declined by 1.4%,
and
in 1981, by 2.1%. The decline of 6.7% in 1982 is encouraging.
The decline in the tuberculosis incidence rate indicates
continuing progress toward the 1990 national prevention objective
of
an annual reported incidence of eight cases per 100,000 population
(Figure 4) (1). Intensification of tuberculosis control efforts
using
existing technology and program strategies (2,3) should be able to
accelerate this downward trend. If new tools for tuberculosis
control, which are more effective, more efficient, and easier to
implement, can be developed, tuberculosis elimination in the United
States can become a reality.
References
U.S. Public Health Service. Promoting health/preventing
disease:
objectives for the nation. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Public
Health
Service, 1980, p. 58.
American Thoracic Society. Control of tuberculosis. Am Rev
Resp
Dis 1983;128:336-42.
American Thoracic Society. Treatment of tuberculosis and other
mycobacterial diseases. Am Rev Resp Dis 1983;127:790-6.
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