[The development of tuberculosis control and tuberculosis epidemiology in East Germany]

The fight against tuberculosis in the German Democratic Republic was performed from the very beginning as a task of the state and the society; it was developed according to the progress of economic possibilities and the epidemiological situation. The contribution of the community and of the social-economic development on tuberculosis epidemiology has proved to be decisively important factors in tuberculosis control. The specific methods applied in tuberculosis control in the course of more than 30 years have changed in their importance effectiveness and efficiency with the reduction of the tuberculosis problem and the development of new techniques. Therefore a continuous evaluation of the tuberculosis situation is necessary to recognize the most effective approach. By reducing the estimated annual infection rate to less than 0.05%, the incidence of smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis to less than 5/100,000 and the practical disappearance of tuberculosis among children tuberculosis has become an endemic localized disease among predominantly old citizens. People's mass x-ray examinations have considerably lost their value for finding tuberculosis. Early coverage and examination of persons with respiratory symptoms (21-days-coughers), of contact persons and high risk groups will determine the future activities of the chest clinics. Their integration into the system of outpatient clinics and the system of primary health care were an important step on this way. Successful treatment of each case of tuberculosis is now possible and must be attained. Early case finding + treatment considered as an united activity has become the decisively important measure in the control of tuberculosis. The endemic foci of tuberculosis in some communities have to be surveyed and eliminated with priority. Moreover, the cooperation of all physicians of public health is necessary. Only by this way tuberculosis can be eradicated in GDR in a defined time. (Aim of WHO and IUaT: 1 case of smear positive tuberculosis among 1,000,000 inhabitants.) Up to that time tuberculosis control should remain an obligatory task of public health.