TB checks stepped up

The TB bacterium is becoming resistant to drugs

Health officials are to seek more information from doctors on the progress of patients with tuberculosis as part of efforts to tackle the rise in the disease.

The Public Health Laboratory Service wants clinicians who diagnose a new case of TB to report on the health of that patient 12 months later.

The new procedure is aimed at allowing officials to collect accurate figures on the numbers of patients who are failing to complete their prescribed treatment, who experience complications, who fail to keep medical appointments or who die.

It follows a record rise in new TB cases this year with almost 7,000 people diagnosed with the condition and reports of drug-resistant forms of the disease in other parts of the world.

Tuberculosis is a public health problem and it is in the interest of everyone to ensure people are effectively treated

Dr John Watson, PHLS

This surveillance system has been piloted in London, the southeast and the West Midlands and will come into effect across England and Wales in January.

Public health problem

Dr John Watson, consultant epidemiologist at the PHLS, said the new procedures would provide information on whether patients were being treated effectively.

"Tuberculosis is a public health problem and it is in the interest of everyone to ensure people are effectively treated.

"For those reasons we want to be able to monitor what is happening to people with TB and to reassure ourselves that whatever else is happening those patients who have been diagnosed are being treated effectively."

At the moment, officials are unable to provide accurate information on how many patients are failing to take their full medication.

"We know that in all probably a great majority of patients comply but we know in some areas there have been problems with compliance but unless one has a comprehensive surveillance system in place to collect information on every case you cannot be confident on the management of all cases," Dr Watson told BBC News Online.