[Tuberculosis in Germany in 2001 and 2002]

The implementation of the new law on infectious diseases in 2001 and the resulting notification of more detailed variables has led to a better knowledge about the epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB) in Germany. 7,515 new cases of active tuberculosis were notified to the Robert Koch Institute in 2001, and 7,684 cases in 2002, corresponding to an incidence of 9.1 (2001) and 9.3 (2002) per 100,000 inhabitants (as per 1 October, 2003). The slight increase in new cases in 2002 is most likely due to under-notification in 2001 because of the new system, considering that the previous decline over many consecutive years is continued according to the incidence for 2003 (8.7/100,000; n = 7,184). In 2001 as well as in 2002 42 % of new TB patients were born outside Germany, and those of foreign nationality have a five-fold higher incidence on the average than German citizens. The lung remains the most affected organ (80 %). 4,230 (2001) and 4,267 (2002) were cases of open, i. e., bacteriologically confirmed, pulmonary tuberculosis potentially contagious to their immediate contacts. The resistance rates are stable in the indigenous population, while patients coming from countries with high resistance rates reflect the situation in their countries of origin. Over two thirds of TB patients in Germany are hospitalized at some point during their disease. The treatment results (78 % on the average in 2001) do not reach the WHO target of 85 %. Approximately 7 % of TB patients in Germany still die because of this infectious disease.