Assessment of Declines in Reported Tuberculosis Cases—Georgia and Pennsylvania, 2009

• Published in: JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association Vol. 305; no. 20; pp. 2059 - 2062
• Main Authors: Viner, K, Johnson, CC, Newbern, EC, Dickman, B, Dettinger, L, Waller, K, Sales, R, Mitruka, K, Magee, E, Grant, J, Manangan, L, Yelk-Woodruff, R, Ershova, J, Metchock, B, Bedell, D, Avant, W, Dohony, D, Cropper, TC, Haddad, M, Jones, J, Rosen, T, Click, E, Willis, M, Abraham, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago American Medical Association 25-05-2011
• Subjects: Medical diagnosis; Surveillance; Tuberculosis; United States > US; Georgia; Pennsylvania
• ISSN: 0098-7484; 1538-3598

In 2009, the largest single-year percentage decrease in tuberculosis (TB) cases was reported since national TB surveillance began in the United States in 1953. Overall, TB rates decreased 11.4% to 3.8 cases per 100,000 population, compared with an average annual decline of 3.8% each year since 2000. Here, Viner et al summarize the results of those investigations, which found no evidence of surveillance artifact, underreporting, or underdiagnosis substantial enough to account for the magnitude of the declines. Instead, a decrease in the number of laboratory-confirmed Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex diagnoses and a decrease in the percentage of suspected TB cases ultimately counted as meeting the TB case definition; both suggested a true decline in TB in 2009. A CDC Editorial Note is included.