Increase in extrapulmonary tuberculosis in England and Wales 1999-2006

Extrapulmonary tuberculosis appears to be increasing in England and Wales. The trends in extrapulmonary tuberculosis and factors associated with these trends were examined.

National tuberculosis surveillance data from 1999-2006 for England and Wales were used, including demographic, clinical and laboratory information. Trends in the proportion of tuberculosis cases with extrapulmonary disease were investigated using the chi(2) trend test and associated factors using logistic regression.

Among all the cases of tuberculosis, the proportion with extrapulmonary disease increased from 48% in 1999 (2717 cases) to 53% in 2006 (4205 cases, p<0.001). Regression analysis showed that the rise in extrapulmonary disease was associated with an increase in the proportion of non-UK born cases (odds ratio 2.7, 95% CI 2.6 to 2.8). A more than threefold increase was observed in the proportion of all tuberculosis cases with miliary tuberculosis from 0.7% of all cases (38 cases) to 2.2% (180 cases, p<0.001). This rise was not associated with changes in place of birth or in any of the other risk factors identified.

The proportion of cases with extrapulmonary disease has increased over the study period. To a large extent this is due to an increasing proportion of non-UK born cases. Reasons for the rise in miliary tuberculosis require further investigation. Clinicians should have a higher index of clinical suspicion of extrapulmonary tuberculosis in non-UK born cases.