Tuberculosis trends in Norway--has the decline stopped?
Heldal, E.; Bjartveit, K.; Tverdal, A.
Tidsskrift for den Norske Laegeforening Tidsskrift for Praktisk Medicin Ny Raekke 115(27): 3390-3393
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-2001 PMID: 7491584 Document Number: 442080
The aim of the study was to present the trend as regards tuberculosis in Norway since 1950, on the basis of data on incidence and mortality in the total population and infection rate among pupils leaving primary school. The decline in incidence continued until the late 1980s. While the decline was 11% per year during the period 1950-74, it has been slower in recent years. In 1990-92 the incidence level was somewhat higher than in 1989, but figures for 1993-94 indicate a new decline. Mortality declined more slowly after the mid-1970s; a similar trend is found for prevalence of infection among pupils. The incidence is among the lowest in Europe. The proportion of cases among immigrants increased gradually from 4% in 1977 to 40% in 1993. Among the Norwegian-born population the incidence rate of infectious pulmonary tuberculosis has shown a steady decline, also during the last decades. Norwegian-born cases are mainly elderly persons infected many decades ago. New infection is probably rare, and the proportion of infected persons is gradually declining.