Tuberculosis in primary care

摘要

I was glad to see a primary care-based study and accompanying editorial on tuberculosis (TB).1,2 For those of us working in areas where TB is no longer rare, reminders of the growing problem and diagnostic pitfalls are welcome. We know that at least one-half of TB cases are among people born abroad, in places where prevalence has always been high. In addition, among refugees arriving here, as many as 50% may be infected with TB; worldwide, over 17 000 refugees get sick with the disease every year.3 Tourism, international travel and migration are helping TB to spread. Other displaced people, such as homeless people in the UK, are at increased risk of being infected. Wherever it occurs, we need to recognise it is difficult to treat TB in mobile populations, and most of the challenge rightly falls on community and primary care services.