The great majority of human tuberculosis infection cases are contracted as a result close proximity to an infected person with overt illness. 10% of infected people will become ill with the disease, in most circumstances, carriers who are well will not act as a source of infection. In the UK most new cases are among those who contracted the disease while resident abroad.
Evidence from:
HPA Press Release 2nd November 2006
“Cases of Tuberculosis rise steeply during 2005”
The cost of treating a drug-sensitive case of tuberculosis has been estimated to be £6,040, rising to £60,000 if the organism is multi-drug resistant. In 2004 7% of cases died, mostly among those aged over 65.
In 2005 8.7% of TB cases were resistant to at least one first line drug. Drug resistance was highest in London and lowest in Northern Ireland but did not vary with country of origin.
Further detail: