TUBERCULOSIS EPIDEMIOLOGY IN CROYDON

A survey of tuberculosis in Croydon between 1988 and 1991, using Chest Clinic health visitor records, showed that the disease occurred most frequently in those of Indian Sub-Continent (ISC) ethnic origin. Of th e 222 cases during the 4-year period, 65% were of ISC ethnic origin, 2 2% were Caucasian and 11% Afro-Caribbean. Non-Caucasian cases were you nger (P < 0.0001), and more likely to be female (P = 0.064) or present with non-pulmonary disease (P = 0.064). One-quarter of ISC patients d eveloped active tuberculosis more than 15 years after immigration into the UK. Only seven cases were children. The contact tracing procedure resulted in three additional cases, all of whom were contacts of smea r-positive index cases. There were significantly fewer Heaf or radiolo gically positive contacts of non-smear positive pulmonary, or non-pulm onary index cases (P = 0.0002). The value of the current contact traci ng system is discussed.