The Epidemiologist and Eradication of Tuberculosis

¹ Head, Tuberculosis Control Unit, State of Minnesota Division of Public Institutions.

1) Tuberculosis was proved to be a dangerous contagious disease when the tubercle bacillus was discovered nearly 70 years ago.

2) This organism is dependent upon multiplication in human and animal bodies for survival.

3) The stages through which tuberculous lesions must evolve before the disease decomes contagious are shown schematically.

4) Failure to detect the disease in people and animals during the first few months of its existence often leads to first reporting cases after bacilli are being disseminated to human and animal associates of hosts.

5) Dependable immunity does not develop from the presence of virulent tubercle bacilli in any stage of the lesions they produce. Therefore, humans and animals with tuberculous lesions do not become immune so as to prevent exogenous, or endogenous reinfections.

6) We must no longer be satisfied with measures intended only to control tuberculosis. Eradication is the goal of the epidemiologist.