Evaluation of tuberculosis trends in Spain, 1991-1999.
METHODS
There are no reliable official data available on tuberculosis (TB) in Spain.


OBJECTIVE
To ascertain the epidemiological trends of TB in Spain from 1991-1999.


METHODS
In an annual survey conducted by the Tuberculosis and Respiratory Infections (TRI) Working Group of the Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR), data on tuberculosis disease and infection were solicited from two information sources: 1) the public health services of the 17 Autonomous Regions (AR), and 2) 60 TRI members in different parts of Spain.


RESULTS
TB incidence declined from 36.4/100,000 in 1991 to 26.7 in 1999 according to the AR (average annual decline 3.3%), and from 45.6 to 26.8 according to TRI members (annual decline 5.1%). A similar observation was made for smear-positive cases (AR annual decline: 3.0%; TRI: 5.6%). Tuberculosis infection at 6 years of age also decreased according to both information sources (AR: 0.87% in 1991 to 0.5% in 1998, annual decline 6%, and TRI members: 1.00% in 1991 and 0.9% in 1997, annual decline 4.2%).


CONCLUSIONS
The observed rates of TB are higher than stated in official figures. In spite of the decreasing trend, observed declines are small and the current rates continue to be among the highest among industrialised countries.
Caminero
J A
JA
Hospital General Universitario de Gran Canaria Dr Negrin, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. jcaminer@separ.es
Caylà
J A
JA
Lara
N
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control