Molecular epidemiology of tuberculosis in England, 1998.

Abstract

The calculated proportion of TB cases due to recent transmission is low.Adjusting for missed cases and study duration, it increases to 27.6%. Many cases may arise from reactivation or acquisition outside England. Transmission within England accounted for approximately one in four cases and occurred over wide geographic areas, between ethnic groups and among the homeless. Molecular epidemiology can inform local and national public health action.