Unusually many individuals, 21, were diagnosed with a tuberculosis infection in Iceland in 2010, compared to around nine persons in 2009 and six in 2008.
A laboratory in Iceland. Copyright: Icelandic Photo Agency.
Sixteen of the 21 TB patients, or 71 percent, were of foreign origin, most of whom came from Asia. Those diagnosed were aged between 20 and 70 and their average age was 34, as stated in Farsóttafréttir, a newsletter from the Directorate of Health.
No multiresistant TB surfaced this year but one Icelander was diagnosed with bovine TB, which is usually found in cattle. It is unclear how the person was infected; there is no known bovine TB infection in Icelandic cattle at the moment.
It should be pointed out that only ten percent of those infected with TB have to be treated for the disease.
