Tuberculosis in Australia: bacteriologically confirmed cases and drug resistance, 1994 and 1995. Report of the Australian Mycobacterium Reference Laboratory Network.

The Australian Mycobacterium Reference Laboratory Network collected and analysed laboratory data on isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis reported during 1994 and 1995. The total number of confirmed isolates was 708 in 1994 and 705 in 1995. This represents an annual incidence of approximately 4 cases of laboratory confirmed tuberculosis per 100,000 population. These figures are similar to those reported in previous years and confirms that the incidence of tuberculosis in Australia remains stable. The incidence rate varied between States. Overall the male:female ratio fell, and there were signs of a downward shift in the median age. We were unable to assess the impact of HIV infection on the number of isolates reported. Positive microscopy was obtained in 55-60% of patients with pulmonary disease. Approximately 8% of isolates had in vitro resistance to at least one of the four standard anti-tuberculosis drugs. Over the two year period seven strains were found to be multi-drug resistant. Overall, the data from 1994-1995 gives no indication of a significant change in the drug susceptibility profiles of isolates from Australian patients with tuberculosis.