Tuberculosis in Malta

Abstract

In Malta pulmonary tuberculosis as such was included in the Schedule of notifiable diseases in 1908. For some inexplicable reason, it was only 40 years later that other forms of tuberculosis became notifiable by law. The first large-scale Tuberculin Survey was started in 1950. Out of 10,736 children in the age-group 12-14 years, tested and read during 1950, 1952, 1953, 3,556 were positive reactors i.e. 33.1%. Of 7,951 children of, the same age-group tested and read during 1969-1970, the number of positive reactors was 1,623 i.e. 20.4%. In this article, three of the indices which may reflect the progress of tuberculosis in a locality, namely the Notification rate, Mortality and Tuberculin Sensitivity are discussed.