Throughout Canada and Quebec, TB is regarded as a reportable
communicable disease and so official records provide a best estimate
of the number of persons with tuberculosis in Canada and Quebec.
Active TB requires immediate medical attention although M. tuberculosis
infection can persist in a latent form. While treatment is often
effective, drug resistant strains are known to occur.3 Co-infection with
other diseases such as HIV further complicates the treatment of the
disease and can increase the mortality and cost of treatment.4 There
are many other risk factors for developing active TB from latent infection,
5 including immunosuppressant conditions such as HIV and factors
related to poverty such as alcoholism, drug abuse, and malnutrition.
Proximity and contact with infected persons also greatly increases
the risk of infection.