Are You at Risk From the London Tb Crisis? ; Medical Notes

Summary

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AFRICA may be the front line in the global battle against TB with the World Health Organisation declaring an emergency last week, but British doctors have concerns closer to home. The number of new cases of the disease in London has doubled since 1990 with infection rates in the worst-hit boroughs similar to those seen in parts of the developing world.

While there is ongoing debate about what has caused the upsurge in the UK - probable factors include immigration from countries where the disease is endemic, poor housing, and the HIV/Aids epidemic - doctors agree on what needs to be done about it. Most cases of TB respond well to treatment with antibiotics, but experts are worried that the NHS lacks the necessary expertise and resources to deal with the problem effectively.

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Extract

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Are You at Risk From the London Tb Crisis? ; Medical Notes

Londoners are 20 times more likely to contract TB than people living anywhere else in the UK, with at least 50 new people infected every week.

Initiatives like mobile X-ray machines - last seen in London in the 1950s - are a step in th...

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