[The problems of the young tuberculosis patients in the community tuberculosis control]

In Japan the incidence of tuberculosis has decreased, but recently the decreasing speed is slowed down. In young people, the phenomenon is remarkable in the incidence for those aged 15-30 years. It will be useful to improve examinations of tuberculosis contacts, in order to prevent spread of tuberculosis infection among young people. This may also help effectively to identify high-risk groups for tuberculosis. Aichi Prefecture has a unique programme that the prefectural government can monitor and support the measures taken by the public health centers, such as examination of tuberculosis contacts. During last three years from 1991 through 1993, 333 tuberculosis cases were reported through this system. Of them 143 cases that were younger than 30 years have been analyzed; 65 cases were males and 78 were females. Those aged 20-29 years occupied 58% of the cases. More than half of the cases were diagnosed by visiting doctors. High school and college students occupied 38% of the cases, and nurses, public health nurses, and nursery school teachers occupied 20%. Cases whose source of infection was known occupied less than 30%, but more than half of them had the sources of infection in their families. This programme is very useful for prefectural government to get the information how the public health centers implement their measures against tuberculosis and to control them.