London is “the TB capital of Europe”, The Daily Telegraph has reported. The newspaper says that Britain is now the only nation in Western Europe with rising levels of tuberculosis, with more than 9,000 cases diagnosed annually. In London, where 40% of UK cases are reportedly diagnosed, the number of cases has risen by almost 50% since 1999, up from 2,309 in 1999 to 3,450 in 2009.

The Guardian has also discussed the rising prevalence of the disease, which was detailed in a report on the modern TB situation in London, as well as the UK as a whole. The report’s author, Professor Alimuddin Zumla of University College London, attributes the rise to people living under “Victorian” conditions, with poor housing, inadequate ventilation and overcrowding in certain deprived areas of London...

Source : NHS Choices
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