[Position, development and trends in the epidemiology of tuberculosis in the GDR 1982-1987]

On the occasion of the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the discovery of the tubercle bacillus by Robert Koch, in 1982, it could be stated that in GDR, like in other developed countries, tuberculosis is not any more a serious problem of public health but has changed to a much reduced endemic disease. After evaluation of the most important parameters of the tuberculosis problem, morbidity, mortality, and infection rate, conclusions are drawn for the future strategy of tuberculosis control. After the rapid decline of the incidence of new tuberculosis cases during the seventies, also during the last 5 years the epidemiology figures were favourable. But it has to be stated, that during the last years the decrease of the incidence of new cases of all forms of the disease was less pronounced, and with bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis a stagnation of the incidence occurred in the last four-years-period. Today, under our circumstances, tuberculosis is mainly a disease of middle and higher age. Therefore, the strategy of detection of new cases has to be adapted to and developed according to these conditions. New methods of case finding, detection of infection sources, screening or risk groups, and the investigation of patients with bronchopulmonary symptoms must be developed. Also during the next years, strict surveillance of tuberculosis remains mandatory.