RESUMO
Immigrants arriving from high-incidence tuberculosis (TB) countries may pose a threat to TB control in low-incidence European host countries. Besides the immediate morbidity and mortality from any resurgence of TB, there would also be the increased economic cost of treatment of cases, tracing and preventive treatment of contacts, as well as concern over the potential emergence of drug-resistant forms of TB. This study analysed the 28 countries of the European Union, plus Iceland and Norway (EU+2). A Pearson correlation analysis of each country and all countries combined during the years 2011-2017 was conducted in order to detect any potential correlation between the number of immigrants annually and the TB notification rates per 100,000 total population. The overall data showed a significant negative correlation between the number of immigrants and TB rate. A negative correlation was also found for 22 of the 30 EU countries. In three countries (Germany, Italy, and Norway), a significant positive correlation between TB notification rates and immigration numbers was observed. Overall, the study did not show a clear pattern between TB transmission and immigration. Continued surveillance of migration and TB rates is essential, and there is a need for harmonization of case definitions and reporting standards to optimize TB control programs within Europe.
RESUMO
In this data article, TB notification rates in the EU countries along with Iceland and Norway (EU+2 countries) and raw data corresponding to the TB incidence in the period 2011 to 2017 are given. Data on immigration numbers in the EU+2 countries between 2011 and 2017 are also available. Immigration statistics were obtained from a Eurostat Database titled 'Migration and Migrant Population Statistics', whereas TB rates were taken from the TB Surveillance and Monitoring Report prepared by European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in the years 2017, 2018, 2019.