A comparative examination of tuberculosis immigration medical screening programs from selected countries with high immigration and low tuberculosis incidence rates

Table 2 Country TB rates per 100,000 population for 2006

Country	Incidence of all forms of TB as reported by the country	Incidence of smear positive PTB* as reported by the country	Foreign born proportion of all cases of TB%	% of cases for which country of birth status is known†
TB screening program present
United States	4.6	2‡	57
Germany	6.6	1.7	43.3	97
France	8.5	3.3	45
Canada	5	2	64	97
United Kingdom	15‡	7‡	73
Australia	5.8	3	81.6
Israel	5.5	1	82.3
Switzerland	7	2	78	75
Jordan	6.4	2	38
New Zealand	8.6	2.6	70	85
Netherlands	6.2	1.3	63
Norway	6.3	1	81
Sweden	5.5	1.2	72
Mean	7.0	2.3	65
TB screening programs absent
Japan	22‡	10‡	4
Spain	18.3	5	25	76
Italy	7.5	3	46.2
Mean	15.9	6.0	25

*PTB - pulmonary tuberculosis
†Number represents the percent of individuals with TB where the country of origin for the case was known
‡ World Health Organization (WHO) 2006 rates[54], country reported rates may differ from estimates prepared by the WHO which uses various epidemiological models to estimate rates.

ISSN: 1471-2334