Tuberculosis within aboriginal communities in BC

Issue: BCMJ, vol. 46, No. 6, July August 2004, Pages 274-275 Letters
By: Victoria J. Cook, MD, FRCPC Meenakshi Dawar, MD

Tuberculosis control for aboriginal persons living on reserve in British Columbia (BC) is administered out of the BC Centre for Disease Control through Tuberculosis Services for Aboriginal Communities, in partnership with the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch of Canada.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health problem for aboriginal people in Canada due to the existing pool of latent TB infection and ongoing disease transmission. The incidence of TB remains more than 10 to 15 times that of the non-aboriginal/Canadian-born population.

As the overall incidence of tuberculosis disease in Canada declines, public health officials focus on the identification and management of latent TB infection (LTBI). It is important to identify LTBI among high-risk individuals and groups, including aboriginal communities, and complete INH treatment is offered in consultation with Tuberculosis Services for Aboriginal Communities.

Tuberculosis Services for Aboriginal Communities is actively involved in case finding and directly observed therapy, contact tracing and treatment of LTBI, high-risk community and individual surveillance, as well as health education, training, and research in the field of TB. Enhanced surveillance of children 5 years and under and individuals with risk factors for TB began 1 June 2004.

Your participation as front-line physicians in TB control efforts is paramount to the success of our program and the eventual elimination of TB in aboriginal communities. We encourage you to “think TB” and invite your questions and comments.

—Victoria Cook, MD 
Tuberculosis Services to Aboriginals
BC Centre for Disease Control
—Meenakshi Dawar, MD
Community Medicine Specialist
First Nations and Inuit Health Branch,
Pacific Region

Victoria J. Cook, MD, FRCPC, Meenakshi Dawar, MD. Tuberculosis within aboriginal communities in BC. BCMJ, Vol. 46, No. 6, July, August, 2004, Page(s) 274-275 - Letters.


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