Tuberculosis control in vulnerable groups

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) remains an important public health problem in industrialized countries. The majority of cases occur in minority groups particularly recently arrived immigrants from countries with high endemicity who often congregate in deprived communities within wealthy cities. In the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland people from the Indian subcontinent and sub-Saharan Africa living in inner cities have higher rates of TB than the general population; particularly during the first years after arriving in the country. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has had a disproportionate impact among ethnic minorities in large industrialized cities. (excerpt)