By Rashid Razaq
Babies born in London must be vaccinated against tuberculosis to protect them against a resurgence of the disease, health experts have warned.
Routine immunisation is needed to combat increasing numbers of children and adults contracting TB which attacks the lungs and can prove deadly, according to the Health Protection Agency.
Almost 45 per cent of all cases involving children in the UK are in the capital because of the large immigrant population. Nine out of 10 cases occur in ethnic minorities.
TB was thought to have been almost eradicated in Britain with the number of cases falling to a low of 5,000 a year by the Eighties.
However the disease has been on the rise with 9,153 cases recorded last year. Health experts believe the threshold at which routine immunisation is required — 40 cases per 100,000 — has been reached across the capital.
Current policy has been to offer vaccination to children who are born abroad or whose parents are born abroad.
Dr Ibrahim Abubakar, from the HPA's Centre for Infections, said: “This increase shows we must remain vigilant in our fight against TB. This is an entirely preventable infection, but it can be fatal if prompt diagnosis and treatment are not given.
“People need to be aware of the main symptoms of TB, which include a fever and night sweats, a persistent cough, weight loss, and blood in your sputum [spit].
“If you experience two or three of these symptoms for more than three weeks, you should go to your GP.”
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