title: Epidemiology and control of tuberculosis in Victoria, a low-burden state in south-eastern Australia, 2005-2010.
abstract: METHODS
  Victoria, Australia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the epidemiology and control of tuberculosis (TB) in Victoria, 2005-2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of laboratory-confirmed TB in Victoria, 2005-2010. State TB reference laboratory records were matched with Department of Health notification records to obtain laboratory, demographic, clinical and treatment data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of TB fell in the Australian-born population but increased overall, reflecting an increase in the proportion of overseas-born cases from 88.9% to 95.8% between 2005 and 2010 (P = 0.03). Patients from India and Viet Nam accounted for over one third of all cases. For overseas-born cases, the median time between arrival and diagnosis was 4 years. Half of all diagnoses were pulmonary disease, of which 45.4% were Ziehl-Neelsen smear-positive. Treatment was most commonly self-administered (76.9%), and very few patients defaulted or failed treatment (1.1%). Only 4.1% of cases were linked to another laboratory-confirmed case. Multidrug-resistant TB remained uncommon (1.7% of cases).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TB in Victoria remains low by global standards and continues to overwhelmingly affect the overseas-born population. Current TB control strategies in Victoria are effective, but strengthened control in high-burden countries will also improve TB control locally.
authors.affiliation: Mycobacterium Reference Laboratory, Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, North Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lavender
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Globan
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sievers
authors.forename: J A M
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fyfe
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lauer
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Leslie
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012646:Self Administration; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018088:Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents