§ Dr. FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of(a) TB and (b) drug resistant TB have been identified in Scotland in each of the last three years. [36015]
§ Mr. GalbraithThe table shows the number of notifications of tuberculosis by medical practitioners to Health Boards in Scotland and the numbers of cases where laboratories have confirmed resistance to one or more of the drugs commonly used in treatment.
Year Number of1Respiratory and Non-Respiratory Cases Number of2Drug Resistant Cases 1995 478 9 1996 509 13 441 Not yet confirmed 1997 (provisional) but less than 10 Note:
Of the cases of drug-resistance, there was in 1995 one case of multi-drug resistant TB, three in 1996 and none in 1997. Multi-drug resistant TB is defined as TB resistant to both isoniazid and rifampicin, and perhaps to other drugs.
Source1 Common Services Agency for the NHS in Scotland 2 Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health
§ Dr. FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what immunisation rates for TB have been achieved in each of the last three years. [36016]
§ Mr. GalbraithBCG vaccination is delivered to schoolchildren in Scotland around the age of 12. However, relatively low numbers were tested and vaccinated in 1995, because some Health Boards had concentrated their resources on the measles and rubella vaccination programme based on schools at that time. The figures for 1996 suggest there was then a degree of "catching-up" in that year. The BCG vaccination rate in those years can therefore only be estimated and between 1995 and 1997 it is estimated that more than 80 per cent. of 12 year old children were vaccinated. A further 4 per cent. of children were found to be positive on tuberculin skin testing—ie not in need of vaccination.