In 1983, a provisional total of 23,532 tuberculosis cases was
reported to CDC, a 7.8% decrease from the 1982 final total of
25,520
cases. In 1968-1978, the average annual decrease in U.S.
tuberculosis
cases was 5.6%. However, in 1979-1981, when there was a large
influx
of Indochinese refugees, the average annual decline was 1.4%. From
1981 to 1982, the number of cases decreased by 6.8%.
Deaths from tuberculosis continue to occur. For 1982, the
provisional estimate of tuberculosis deaths was 1,980, based on a
10%
sample of death certificates by the National Center for Health
Statistics. This was similar to the final totals of 2,012 and
1,978
deaths in 1979 and 1980, respectively, but was higher than the 1981
provisional estimate of 1,780 deaths.
Reported by Div of Tuberculosis Control, Center for Prevention
Svcs,
CDC.
Editorial Note
Editorial Note: Three factors may have contributed to the
decreased
number of tuberculosis cases reported in 1983: (1) a larger number
of
states began using the new national individual case reporting
system,
which requires more accurate verification of cases before they are
counted; (2) the number of refugees arriving with tuberculosis in
the
United States from around the world declined, as did tuberculosis
among Indochinese refugees, all of whom were screened for
tuberculosis
overseas. Indochinese refugees with tuberculosis have been
completing
supervised, directly observed chemotherapy before immigrating to
the
United States; and (3) the number of indigenous tuberculosis cases
may
have actually declined.
In 1979-1982, the average annual number of tuberculosis deaths
was
nearly 2,000. Tuberculosis was the leading cause of death among 38
communicable diseases for which mortality data were reported to CDC
in
1979 (1). In fact, the number of tuberculosis deaths in 1979
exceeded
the combined total for the other 37 communicable diseases. The
number
of tuberculosis deaths has shown essentially no decline in
1979-1982.
Further analysis of tuberculosis mortality is under way.
Reference
CDC. Annual summary 1981: reported morbidity and mortality in
the United States. MMWR 1982;30(54):11.
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