Spain continues with a large number of patients with tuberculosis

in the last ten years, 40,000 children in the European Union have been diagnosed of tuberculosis

– 5.301 respiratory tuberculosis in Spain cases were reported in 2010

-TB is the third disease notifiable in incidence

-Cataluñto remains the autonomous community with more patients with tuberculosis in the country

– in proportion to the number of inhabitants the community with more sick is Melilla with a ratio of 22,32 cases per 100,000 population

-Spain maintained a rate of Pediatric tuberculosis 4.1-10 per 100,000 inhabitants with Portugalbehind Estonia, Lithuania, Romania and Bulgaria, reaching a rate of 10 per 100,000 inhabitants.

Spain, March 2012.- According to recent data published by the network of epidemiological surveillance of Spain, 5.301 cases of respiratory tuberculosis (according to provisional data) were reported in 2010, but it is estimated this figure is well below the reality because the below statement in Spain is manifest. By the number of diagnosed cases TB is positioned as the third notifiable disease in incidence, just after flu and chickenpox.

Tuberculosis represents a scientific challenge, in relation to the improvement of the treatment, diagnosis and prevention. It is a difficult struggle that we have one of the oldest diseases still continues to have a considerable social impact ”,

says Dr. Juan Ruiz Manzano, President of the society of Pneumology and thoracic surgery (SEPAR). In a recent meeting with the Ministry of health, SEPAR insisted on the need to develop a national strategy of Tuberculosis to help contain the still high numbers of this disease in Spain relative to other European countries.

Noting the figures by autonomous communities, Catalonia leads the number of declared cases reaching the 1.171, followed by Madrid with 715, with 671 Andalusia, Valencia with 551 and Galicia with 523. However, in proportion to the number of inhabitants, Melilla with 15 patients and a ratio of 22,32 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and Galicia with 523 sick (19.31) are in first and second place, Catalonia, despite its high number of cases stands at fourth place (16,03)preceded by Aragon (17.90).

According to a report issued by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) of the European Union, with data concerning 2009 Spain records 16.6 cases of tuberculosis per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by Great Britain with a rate of 14.8. With this rate, Spain sits in eighth place after Romania (108,2), Lithuania (62.1), Latvia (43.2), Bulgaria (38.3), Estonia (30.7), Portugal (27) and Poland (21.6). On the same data concerning 2006, Spain ranked ninth on Hungary, country now with a rate of 14.4 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. According to these figures, Spain has an incidence of tuberculosis in 7.592 inhabitants.

Also, in the last ten years in the European Union have been diagnosed 39.695 cases of childhood tuberculosis. However, during this period of time the ratio of incidence of the disease in children aged between 0 and 14 years old, has been decreased from 5.5 of 100,000 in the year 2000, up to 100,000 4.2 recorded throughout 2009. More than 3,300 children developed tuberculosis in 2009, according to the incidence of 4.2 per cent involving all the reported cases in the European Union on the report of ECDC.

According to the data provided by this European body, Spain maintained a rate of Pediatric tuberculosis 4.1-10 per 100,000 inhabitants with Portugal after Estonia, Lithuania, Romania and Bulgaria, reaching a rate of 10 per 100,000 inhabitants.

In general, the EU countries have experienced a decrease or stabilization of rates of notification of Pediatrics desdel year 2000. Despite this, such children’s notifications of tuberculosis presents a diverse panorama that while rates are low not so relevant incidence countries there is a clear increase in the rest. Among all pediatric cases reported, 79.7% were of national origin while 17.4% were of foreign origin.

Despite the high prevalence of tuberculosis among immigrants from developing countries there is a profile of patients with this disease very diverse, which is a disease that affects from the restrooms as occupational disease (or other University), as aid workers, until people with low economic social level, and taking into account that it is a disease that is transmitted by air anyone can be affected. That is why, the importance that the doctor, either primary as hospital care, think about this disease when you perform the differential diagnosis before any patient that this cough and expectoration of more than two weeks without another cause that justifies.