Tuberculosis (TB) is an infection caused by a bacterium belonging to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, which includes:
- M. tuberculosis
- M. africanum
- M. bovis
- some rare bacteria such as M. microti and M. pinnipedii
TB is a notifiable disease in the UK. Suspected and confirmed diseases must be notified within 3 working days.
For symptoms and general information on tuberculosis, visit NHS.UK.
Diagnosis
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Tuberculosis: notifying cases
- Guidance
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Tuberculosis reference laboratories
- Guidance
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Tuberculosis (TB): direct molecular testing for TB
- Guidance
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Tuberculosis (TB): Interferon Gamma Release Assay tests
- Guidance
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Tuberculosis (TB): national audit of laboratories
- Guidance
Treatment, management and vaccination
Standard anti-TB treatment consists of a combination of 4 different antibiotics, usually taken daily for a minimum 6-month period. See National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines on treatment of TB.
The BCG vaccine is recommended for high risk groups such as healthcare workers and babies at increased risk of exposure to TB infection.
See the chapter about tuberculosis (TB) immunisation in Immunisation against infectious disease: the Green Book.
For further information about BCG vaccine and supporting resources please go to Immunisation
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Managing tuberculosis (TB) in prisons
- Guidance
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Tuberculosis: the disease, its treatment and prevention
- Promotional material
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Tuberculosis by country: rates per 100,000 people
- Research and analysis
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Latent TB infection (LTBI): testing and treatment
- Guidance
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Latent TB testing and treatment: leaflet
- Promotional material
Epidemiology
UK Health Security Agency runs enhanced tuberculosis surveillance (ETS) for real-time case reporting. ETS also has laboratory data on drug sensitivity, species and strain typing.
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Tuberculosis in England: national quarterly reports
- Official Statistics
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Reports of cases of TB to UK enhanced tuberculosis surveillance systems
- Official Statistics
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Tuberculosis (TB) notifications reported to enhanced TB surveillance systems: UK, 2000 to 2022
- Official Statistics
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Tuberculosis in England, 2022 report (data up to end of 2021)
- Research and analysis
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Tuberculosis in England, 2021 report (data up to end of 2020)
- Research and analysis
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Tuberculosis (TB) in England: ad hoc provisional data
- Research and analysis
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Tuberculosis (TB) in England: surveillance data
- Research and analysis
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Tuberculosis (TB): annual notification data 1913 onwards
- Research and analysis
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Tuberculosis (TB) in the UK: annual report data up to 2013
- Research and analysis
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UK tuberculosis (TB) surveillance data up to 2013
- Official Statistics
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Tuberculosis (TB): annual update
- Research and analysis
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Tuberculosis (TB): regional and devolved administration reports
- Research and analysis
Screening
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Tuberculosis screening
- Guidance
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Tuberculosis (TB) screening for the UK: leaflet
- Promotional material
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Tuberculosis: pre-entry screening in the UK
- Guidance
NKS-TB treatment and management advice
The national knowledge service - tuberculosis (NKS-TB) provides guidance for health professionals who treat and manage TB in patients.
To view patient resources developed by NKS-TB visit NHS Choices
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Tuberculosis (TB) in the workplace
- Guidance
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Tuberculosis (TB) and homelessness
- Guidance
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Tuberculosis (TB) and substance misuse
- Guidance
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Tuberculosis (TB) and asylum seekers
- Guidance
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Tuberculosis (TB) and children
- Guidance
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Universal HIV testing for TB patients
- Guidance
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Tuberculosis and pregnant women
- Guidance
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Tuberculosis: information for prison and immigration removal centre staff
- Guidance
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Tuberculosis (TB): molecular diagnosis
- Guidance
National tuberculosis strain typing service
The national strain typing service involves prospectively typing TB isolates using 24 loci mycobacterial interspersed repeat units - variable number tandem repeats (MIRU-VNTR). The results of this are used in local or national investigation of suspected TB transmission incidents.
Previous reports and resources were published byPublic Health England:
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Enhanced TB surveillance strain typing module: user guide
- Tuberculosis (TB) strain typing service: evaluation
- M. tuberculosis strain typing: data production and distribution
- National TB strain typing service: summary report
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National TB strain typing service: what we do
- Guidance
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National TB strain typing service: factsheet
- Guidance
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Mycobacterium tuberculosis whole genome sequencing and cluster investigation
- Guidance
Strategy
Subscribe to the TB Strategy Implementation Update for progress on the TB strategy.
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Tuberculosis (TB): collaborative strategy for England
- Policy paper
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Tuberculosis (TB): a resource to support TB in low incidence areas
- Guidance
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Health matters: reducing the burden of tuberculosis
- Guidance
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Tackling TB in inclusion health groups: toolkit for a multi-agency approach
- Guidance
Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis)
Human cases of tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) are rare. These pages present surveillance data on the numbers of human cases of M. bovis and guidance on management of the disease in cattle and other animals to reduce the risk of human infection.
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Tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis: notification data
- Research and analysis
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Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis): enhanced surveillance questionnaire
- Form
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Bovine tuberculosis (TB): public health management
- Guidance
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Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis): reducing the risk of human infection
- Guidance
Published 1 June 2014
Last updated 30 November 2023 +show all updates
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Added 'Tuberculosis (TB) notifications reported to enhanced TB surveillance systems: UK, 2000 to 2022'.
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Added 'Tuberculosis in England, 2022 report (data up to end of 2021)' and 'Reports of cases of TB to UK enhanced tuberculosis surveillance systems, 2000 to 2021'.
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Archived PHE documents.
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Added 'Tuberculosis in England: national quarterly reports'.
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Publication "Tuberculosis (TB): a resource to support TB in low incidence areas" in the 'Strategy' section.
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Added 'National quarterly report of tuberculosis in England: Quarter 4, 2019 provisional data' report.
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Added new page 'Tuberculosis in England: quarterly reports'.
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Added TB annual report for 2018 and the 2018 slide set.
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Added resource for tackling tuberculosis in under-served populations.
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Added guidance for the unlicensed BCG vaccine, in response to a vaccine shortage: training material for healthcare professionals; guide for parents and carers.
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Added existing latent TB testing guidance and patient leaflet in multiple languages to the collection.
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Added treatment and management advice documents from the National Knowledge Service.
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Added publications under 'NKS-TB treatment and management advice'.
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Publishing annual report and statistics covering up to 2014.
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The Tuberculosis in Kent, Surrey and Sussex: annual report has been published.
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The Tuberculosis: notifying cases guidance has been added.
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Updated to include 'Bovine tuberculosis: public health management' guidance.
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2014 annual report added.
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First published.
