Tuberculosis
Introduction
Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most prevalent infections of human beings and contributes considerably to illness and death around the world.
It is estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO) that one third of the global population is infected with TB and that seven to eight million new cases of TB occur each year. Approximately 1.75 million deaths resulted from TB in 2003 (World Health Organization. TB Fact Sheet No.104, April 2005) available at; http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs104/en/index.html.
It is also estimated by WHO that between 2000 and 2020 nearly one billion people will be newly infected, 200 million will get sick, and 35 million will die from TB if global control is not further strengthened.
Fundamental to Australia's TB control plan is that we hold a global vision and a commitment to reducing global TB morbidity, mortality and transmission. TB cannot be controlled within the borders of one country.
Australia is fortunate in having one of the lowest rates of TB in the world. This has been primarily achieved as a result of a continued commitment to provide specialised health services dedicated to the management and control of tuberculosis in each of the states and territories.
The low rate of TB disease has been maintained in the presence of large-scale migration from countries with higher TB rates than Australia, largely because of pre-migration screening and the activities of specialised, multi-disciplinary TB services in the states and territories.
Currently, states and territories have responsibility for the provision and management of TB services in Australia and for ensuring a close working relationship between public health, laboratories, clinicians and TB services.
TB reference laboratories have a range of responsibilities including the undertaking of antibiotic susceptibility testing. The Australian Government monitors the incidence and prevalence of TB on a national basis using information provided by state and territory health authorities and laboratory services.
The aim of the NSW Health Department is to ensure that comprehensive services are accessible and available to reduce the burden of disease and prevent the transmission of TB within the community.
In NSW the key goals for TB control are:
- Eliminate the transmission of TB.
- Reduce the burden of disease from TB in overseas born persons and other high- risk groups.
- Maintain the current low level of drug resistance.
- Foster research and development in TB control.
- Strengthen partnerships that contribute to TB Control.
The key strategies to achieve the goals of the TB control program are:
- Case finding that promotes early and accurate diagnosis of people with TB.
- Prompt and effective treatment in people with active TB in supervised programs.
- Screening amongst high-risk groups to identify people with TB infection who can be give TB preventive treatment and identify people with active TB who require treatment.
- Timely surveillance and reporting of program data.
In NSW, there is a network of public health services that provide free and confidential screening, diagnostic, treatment and management services for persons identified with tuberculosis and the general community.
The control of TB remains an important public health challenge in NSW. Many of the state's population have lived in countries with a high prevalence of TB, which means that the potential for an increase in the incidence of TB is ever present.
PURPOSE OF THE WEB RESOURCES
The purpose of these web materials is to provide broad outlines and guidelines for the management and control of TB in NSW. These resources provide information of the National Strategic Plan for TB Control, the epidemiology of TB, current NSW Policy Directives and Guidelines, surveillance tools for reporting and follow up of TB cases.
DEVELOPMENT AND REVIEW
These web resources have been developed in accordance with available evidence, and in consultation with the NSW Health Department TB Advisory Committee and the NSW Health Department Area TB Coordinators Group. These materials are subject to regular review by the above groups.