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. 2005 Apr;11(4):597-602.
doi: 10.3201/eid1104.041103.

Tuberculosis elimination in the Netherlands

Martien W Borgdorff  1 , Marieke J van der Werf, Petra E W de Haas, Kristin Kremer, Dick van Soolingen
Affiliations

Tuberculosis elimination in the Netherlands

Martien W Borgdorff et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2005 Apr.

Abstract

This study assessed progress towards tuberculosis (TB) elimination in the Netherlands by using DNA fingerprinting. Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains were defined as new if the IS6110 restriction fragment length polymorphism pattern had not been observed in any other patient during the previous 2 years. Other cases were defined as clustered and attributed to recent transmission. In the period 1995-2002, the incidence of TB with new strains was stable among non-Dutch residents and declined among the Dutch. However, the decline among the Dutch was restricted to those >or=65 years of age. Moreover, the average number of secondary cases per new strain did not change significantly over time. We conclude that the decline of TB in the Netherlands over the past decade was mainly the result of a cohort effect: older birth cohorts with high infection prevalence were replaced by those with lower infection prevalence. Under current epidemiologic conditions and control efforts, TB may not be eliminated.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Tuberculosis incidence (new strains and strains attributed to recent transmission) among Dutch and non-Dutch in the Netherlands, 1995–2002.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Incidence rate of tuberculosis (new strains) by age group among the Dutch, 1995–2002.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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