Tuberculosis notifications in Australia, 2019-2020

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Diseases Epidemiology

Background:

• Australia has maintained low tuberculosis (TB) incidence rates since the mid-1980s, with approximately 5-6 cases per 100,000 population.
• Multi-drug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) notifications in Australia are low, around 2% of annual cases, significantly below global averages.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze recent trends in tuberculosis notifications in Australia.
• To identify key demographic groups disproportionately affected by TB.
• To inform strategies for continued TB control and elimination efforts.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of national tuberculosis (TB) surveillance data from the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System for 2019 and 2020.
• Calculation of TB notification rates per 100,000 population.
• Comparison of TB rates across different demographic groups, including overseas-born and Indigenous populations.

Main Results:

• In 2020, 1,618 TB notifications were received, a rate of 6.3 per 100,000, an increase from 1,505 (5.9 per 100,000) in 2019.
• Overseas-born individuals constituted the majority of TB cases (90-92%).
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples had TB rates approximately four times higher than the Australian-born non-Indigenous population.

Conclusions:

• While Australia maintains good TB control, sustained efforts are necessary to further reduce local incidence.
• Targeted interventions are crucial for reducing TB rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations.
• Continued efforts are vital to contribute to the World Health Organization's goal of ending the global TB epidemic by 2035.