Tuberculosis in Australia: bacteriologically confirmed cases and drug resistance, 2008 and 2009. A report of the Australian Mycobacterium Reference Laboratory Network.

Summary: Tuberculosis (TB) is often thought of as a disease of the past, but a report from 2008–2009 shows it remains a relevant health concern in Australia. During this period, the number of confirmed cases rose, with a slight increase in the infection rate per person. While most cases can be treated with standard antibiotics, authorities are closely watching "Multi-Drug Resistant" (MDR) strains. A significant number of these harder-to-treat cases were traced to the cross-border region between Papua New Guinea and the Torres Strait Islands. Additionally, the report noted a small number of infections caused not by the wild bacteria, but by the BCG vaccine itself—appearing as abscesses in children or complications in elderly men receiving bladder cancer treatment.