NEW YORK, March 24 (UPI) -- Tuberculosis has hit historic lows in the United States, but public health authorities say there's an increase in TB cases resistant to several drugs.
The number of TB cases in 2005 fell to 14,093, or 4.8 cases per 100,000 people -- the lowest per capita rate since national reporting began in 1063 -- reported The New York Times Friday.
In New York City, the number of cases fell to 989, below 1,000 for the first time, said New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas R. Frieden.
However, the New York City rate is still twice that of the nation, because the city has so many foreign-born residents, city authorities said.
Drug-resistant TB cases increased by 13 percent from 2003 to 2004 in the United States, said Dr. Kenneth G. Castro, head of tuberculosis elimination at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
