KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - A new analysis of ongoing, local tuberculosis (TB) surveillance has found a significant increase in the annual number of TB cases among African immigrants and refugees residing in Seattle and King County.

The analysis, featured in the October 3rd issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), provides additional evidence that TB epidemiology, both locally and nationally, is increasingly influenced by cases among foreign-born persons. To read this analysis, visit: www.cdc.gov/mmwr//mmwr_wk.html

Locally, TB remains an uncommon disease, with 139 cases reported for King County in 2001. The majority of TB cases in Seattle and King County are attributable to foreign-born patients from 28 different countries from around the world. Globally, one third of the world's population has TB infection, and two million people a year die of the disease.

"As long as TB remains a problem globally and people from our area travel, TB will remain a local problem," said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director of Public Health - Seattle & King County. "These findings underscore the importance of our innovative strategies to prevent, control and treat TB in our diverse communities." TB is curable and preventable, with a nearly 100% success rate in the treatment of the disease.

Details of study

Findings from the analysis indicate that from 1998 through 2001, the number of TB cases among African immigrants and refugees, mainly from the East African countries of Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia, increased almost threefold compared to the previous five years (1993-1997). The analysis found that from 1998 to 2001, 79 (16%) of Seattle-King County's 486 TB cases were among African immigrants, and 67 (85%) of these 79 immigrants came from East African countries.

For information on Public Health's TB Control Program, visit: www.metrokc.gov/health/tb