[Tuberculosis annual report 2010--(2) Tuberculosis in foreign nationals]

Surveillance data on tuberculosis (TB) in foreign nationals in Japan since 1998 have been obtained. The proportion of foreign nationals infected with TB increased from 2.1% (739 patients) in 1998 to 4.2% (952 patients) in 2010. Most importantly, the proportion of TB patients aged 20-29 years among foreign nationals reached 29% in 2010. About half of the foreign nationals with TB were from China (29 %) and the Philippines (23%). In most cases, foreign nationals developed TB within 5 years of immigrating to Japan; moreover, 84% of these patients were 20-29 years old. The proportion of foreign nationals with TB among all TB cases was the highest in Hamamatsu city (9.5%), followed by Gunma prefecture, and Fukuoka city. Twenty-three percent of foreign nationals with TB were employed full-time, 22% were students, and 20% were unemployed. As the number of immigrants to Japan increases, the proportion of foreign nationals with TB is expected to increase, particularly among young adults and in those from countries with a high burden of TB.