Musculoskeletal tuberculosis in Bradford - a 6-year review.
BACKGROUND
Tuberculosis (TB) remains the most common cause of death from infectious disease world-wide. In the UK, the incidence of TB has risen by 25% over the last 10 years; extrapulmonary diagnosis remains challenging and can be delayed. This study evaluates the epidemiology of musculoskeletal tuberculosis in a large multi-ethnic UK city.


METHODS
A review of prospectively recorded data of incidence, anatomical site, ethnic distribution, treatment and drug resistance of musculoskeletal tuberculosis over a 6-year period was performed.


RESULTS
From January 1999 to December 2004, there were 729 TB notifications; 61 cases (8.4%) had musculoskeletal involvement. Of the patients, 74% were immigrants from the Indian subcontinent; nearly 50% had spinal involvement; 24 patients underwent surgical intervention; 29 were subjected to either diagnostic or therapeutic radiological intervention; and resolution of symptoms was achieved in 59 out of 61 cases.


CONCLUSIONS
This study highlights the high proportion of musculoskeletal TB in immigrant patients in an area with a relatively large at-risk population, but will also serve to alert physicians, in areas with smaller at-risk populations, of the possibility of musculoskeletal TB.
Talbot
J C
JC
Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Bradford UK. charlietalbot@doctors.org.uk
Bismil
Q
Q
Saralaya
D
D
Newton
D A G
DA
Frizzel
R M
RM
Shaw
D L
DL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D018088:Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy; D014394:Tuberculosis, Osteoarticular / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy
D000995:Antitubercular Agents