The Southern Health Board (SHB) said yesterday there was no obvious explanation for an increase in the notified cases of tuberculosis recorded in Cork and Kerry last year.
Until 2003, notified cases of TB in the region were in decline. They had peaked in 1996, when 118 cases were reported. In 2001 the number was down to 72.
Last year, however, there were 95 notified cases, up from 77 cases recorded in 2002
"This is disappointing, and shows an upward blip," said a statement from the SHB.
A total of 21 have been reported in the first quarter of 2004, the same for the first quarter in 2003.
The majority of the cases were Irish-born, with just four cases among the region's refugee and asylum-seeker population.
Last year's cases were isolated, and no TB clusters reported.
The board warned that infectious cases pose a risk to their close contacts until satisfactorily responding to anti-tuberculous treatment. Prompt contact tracing and adherence to antibiotic treatment were also essential. Early diagnoses rather than vaccination was essential in the control of TB, the statement said.
There has been much controversy over the question of BCG vaccination against TB in the Southern Health Board.
Cork remains the only place in the Republic where BCG vaccination is not in place. Attempts to reintroduce it have been resisted.
Dr Cathal Bredin, consultant respiratory physician at Cork University Hospital, and a member of the SHB, said the TB incidence was primarily among the middle- aged, the elderly and socially-deprived males.