DOCTORS and nurses in North Yorkshire have been praised for their work combating tuberculosis, despite a rise in the number of cases.

North Yorkshire Health Protection Agency Unit (NYHPU) has highlighted the hard work of the region's TB healthcare staff fighting the life-threatening disease.

This is despite figures showing the rate of TB infection in North Yorkshire per 100,000 people went up last year to five compared with three in 2003 and 2002.

There were 35 cases recorded in North Yorkshire in 2004, up by 15 on the previous year.

Dr Louise Coole, director of NYHPU and a consultant in communicable disease control, said: "It's a fairly moderate increase and, obviously, there is always some variation from year to year. It's a little bit early to say it's an upward trend.

"Over the last couple of years a lot of systems have been put in place to help ensure TB is detected early and these figures could be seen to show that they are working."

Dr Coole said that for the majority of people in the UK the risk of getting TB was very small, however it was essential to make the public aware of it.

TB commonly affects the lungs, but can reach any part of the body. It is usually spread by the coughs or sneezes of an infected person, but is not highly contagious.

Worldwide TB is a massive problem, but in England cases fell progressively until the mid 1980s, but started to rise again in the early 1990s with cases increasing 25 per cent in the last ten years with about 6,500 cases reported each year.

It is curable with a course of antibiotics taken for at least six months.

Dr Coole said: "Despite being a potentially life-threatening and debilitating disease, TB can be treated and cured.

"I would like personally to thank our TB staff for their hard work and commitment. They do a fantastic job in making sure people know the signs of the disease, and are treated swiftly should a case be confirmed."

The list of professionals involved in the TB detection and treatment include microbiologists, TB nurses, chest and infectious disease physicians, consultants in communicable disease control, occupational health physicians and service commissioners.

Updated: 09:06 Tuesday, March 29, 2005