Counterattack of re-emerging tuberculosis after 38 years

The recent tuberculosis prevalence rates in Japan have bem among the highes t in industrialised countries. In 1997 the number of newly identified tuber culosis patients in Japan increased for the first time in 38 years. There a re many underlying reasons for this resurgence, including public ignorance of the threat, epidemiological factors, insufficient medical countermeasure s, and inadequate public health measures against tuberculosis. Improving th e situation will require urgent scientific and political action.