Tuberculosis in elderly Australians: a 10-year retrospective review

Authors

  • Yasmin Lisson National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, College of Health and Medicine, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia; Office of Health Protection and Response Division, Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
  • Aparna Lal National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, College of Health and Medicine, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
  • Ben Marais Centre for Research Excellence in Tuberculosis, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
  • Anna Glynn-Robinson National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, College of Health and Medicine, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5365/wpsar.2024.15.1.1040

Keywords:

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, therapy, aged, migrants, epidemiology, Australia

Abstract

Objective: This report describes the epidemiology of active tuberculosis (TB) in elderly Australians (>=65 years) with analysis of the factors associated with TB disease and successful treatment outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective study of TB cases reported to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System over a 10-year period from 2011 to 2020 was conducted. Cases were stratified by sex, age, risk factors, drug resistance, treatment type and outcome. Notification rates and incidence rate ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated and factors associated with treatment success analysed using multivariable logistic regression.

Results: A total of 2231 TB cases among elderly people were reported over the study period, with a 10-year mean incidence rate of 6.2 per 100 000 population. The median age of cases was 75 years (range 65–100 years); most were male (65%) and born overseas (85%). Multivariable analysis found that successful treatment outcome was strongly associated with younger age, while unsuccessful treatment outcome was associated with being diagnosed within the first 2 years of arrival in Australia, ever having resided in an aged-care facility and resistance to fluoroquinolones.

Discussion: Compared to other low-incidence settings in the Western Pacific Region, TB incidence in elderly people is low and stable in Australia, with most cases occurring among recent migrants from TB-endemic settings. Continued efforts to reduce TB importation and address migrant health, especially among elderly people, are important.

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Published

05-01-2024

How to Cite

1.
Lisson Y, Lal A, Marais B, Glynn-Robinson A. Tuberculosis in elderly Australians: a 10-year retrospective review. Western Pac Surveill Response J [Internet]. 2024 Jan. 5 [cited 2026 Apr. 2];15(1). Available from: https://ojs.wpro.who.int/ojs/index.php/wpsar/article/view/1040

Issue

Vol. 15 No. 1 (2024): January ‒ March

Section

Original Research

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