Tuberculosis isn't an illness that affects only undeveloped countries. Danes are also affected by the dangerous infectious disease. But while tuberculosis is on the increase all over the world, in Denmark the tend is the opposite. From a peak of about 600 cases in the 1990's, the registered number of tuberculosis cases has gone down to 377 in 2006.
According to Niels Seersholm, of Gentofte Hospital, there are two explanations for the decrease. One is that Danes have become better at, and more effort is put into, tracking and treating the disease, another is that immigration, especially from Somalia, had decreased.
Immigration from countries where tuberculosis was widespread was one of the most important reasons for the doubling of the number of tuberculosis cases in the 1990s, after having been at its lowest level in 1986.
But Danes are also affected by the infectious disease and can be most often found by people who suffer from alcohol or drug abuse, who don't swallow food, suffer from cancer or HIV.
Source: Berlingske Tidende (Danish)
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