[TB epidemiology in an elderly group in Japan].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the epidemiological situation of TB among the elderly in Japan.


METHODS
By using the data of TB surveillance, national survey statistics and national basic survey of life.


RESULTS
TB incidence in both sexes increased with age in all survey years. TB incidence among the jobless was higher than among employees in both sexes. TB incidence among female housekeepers was consistently lower than among other groups. TB incidence among both the employed and unemployed has declined rapidly in the last 15 years. The main mode of TB detection was the detection at clinics/hospitals irrespective of presence or absence of TB symptoms. The death rate was higher in cases with immunosuppressive therapy and cases with malignancy.


CONCLUSIONS
Causes of higher TB incidence in the elderly unemployed population should be analyzed. Better detection of TB by improving passive case-finding for TB symptomatic and high-risk groups at clinics/hospitals will be recommended. To reduce the death rate, early diagnosis of TB with immunosuppressive therapy could be strengthened, however its impact might be limited.
Research Institute of Tuberculosis, JATA, 3-1-24, Matsuyama, Kiyose-shi, Tokyo 204-8533, Japan. hhoshino@jata.or.jp
Hitoshi
H
Hoshino
Masako
M
Ohmori
Kazuhiro
K
Uchimura
Yuko
Y
Yamauchi
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002423:Cause of Death; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality