Tuberculosis Control Program

Contact Information
Los Angeles County
Department of Public Health
Tuberculosis Control Program
2615 S. Grand Avenue, Room 507
Los Angeles, CA 90007
Phone: (213) 745-0800
*The phones may not be working properly, if are experiencing difficulties, call (213) 745-0811*
Fax: (213) 749-0926
Email: tbc@ph.lacounty.gov

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Tuberculosis Control Program

Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
Public Health Programs and Services
Tuberculosis Control Program
2000 Fact Sheet
Tuberculosis Epidemiology Update

  1. Global TB morbidity is higher today than at any other point in history. Worldwide, over eight million people develop active TB disease each year. If present trends continue, there will be over ten million new cases of TB by 2005. The probability of becoming infected with TB and of developing active disease are directly associated with malnutrition, poor air circulation, crowding, and poor sanitation. TB is a global problem requiring an effective response including resources, an informed society, and a functioning health system and for the first time in history the international community has the political will, the finances, and the tools to take a united stand against a disease that kills millions and causes tremendous economic loss. 1
  2. Nationally, the number of TB cases reported in the United States has declined for the eighth straight year. In 2000, TB cases declined 6.6%, from 17,531 in 1999 to 16,372 in 2000. The number of TB cases in the State of California has also declined for the past eight years. The latest decline was at 8.7% from 3,608 in 1999 to 3,295 in 2000.
  3. In 2000, 1,065 cases of Tuberculosis were confirmed in Los Angeles County. This represents a 9.0% decrease in cases from 1999 (1,170 cases) and a 51.5% decrease since 1992 (2,198 cases). This is the eighth year of decline since the peak of 2,198 cases reported in 1992, the highest number reported in Los Angeles County in decades. The average annual percent decline from 1992 to 2000 was 8.7%.
  4. More males were reported with tuberculosis than females. In 2000, 641 (60.2%) cases were male and 424 (39.8%) cases were female.
  5. Seventy-three percent of the 2000 cases were in the foreign-born population. Of the 774 foreign-born cases, 285 (36.8%) were from Mexico, 127 (16.4%) were from the Philippines, 51 (6.6%) were from Vietnam, 49 (6.3%) were from South Korea, 43 (5.6%) were from China, 35 (4.5%) were from Guatemala and 33 (4.3%) were from El Salvador. In 2000, date of arrival in the US was reported for 731 (94.4%) of the foreign-born cases. Of the foreign-born TB cases with a known date of arrival in the United States, 157 (21.5%) were recent immigrants (within two years).
  6. The racial/ethnic breakdown of TB cases reported in 2000 was as follows:482 (45.3%) were Hispanic, 343 (32.2%) were Asian, 140 (13.1%) were African-American and 100 (9.4%) were non-Hispanic Whites.
  7. The age group with the largest number of reported TB cases was the 15-34 year old age group with 297 cases (27.9%), followed by the 65 and older age group with 226 cases (21.2%), the 45-54 year old age group with 182 cases (17.1%), and the 35-44 year old age group with 159 cases (14.9%). Compared to 1999, there was an increase in the proportion of TB cases reported in 2000 for the following age groups: 15-34, 55-64, and 0-14.
  8. There were 76 (7.1%) TB patients reported as homeless in Los Angeles County in 2000. Of these, 69 (90.8%) were male. Among all homeless TB cases, 20 (26.3%) were Hispanic, and 44 (57.9%) were African-American. Twenty seven (35.5%) were within the 45-54 year old age group, 23 (30.3%) fell within the 35-44 year old age group, 12 (15.8%) fell within the 55-64 year old age group and 11 (14.5%) within the 15-34 year old age group . Three cases (4.0%) were over 65 years of age.
  9. There were 77 (7.2%) TB cases co-infected with HIV in 2000. Of these, 67 (87.0%) were male. Among all HIV-infected TB cases, 48 (62.3%) were Hispanic, and 23 (29.9%) were African-American. Twenty five (32.5%) of all co-infected cases fell within the 35-44 year old age group, 21 (27.3%) were in the 15-34 year old age group and 19 (24.7%) were in the 45-54 year old age group.
  10. A total of 752 (70.6%) of the confirmed TB cases in 2000 were on directly observed therapy (DOT) in Los Angeles County. Directly observed therapy has a great impact on completion of treatment among TB patients and Los Angeles County has been successful implementing DOT using incentives and enablers to ensure the completion of treatment among TB cases.



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