%X BACKGROUND: Accurate estimates of tuberculosis (TB) mortality are required to monitor progress towards the World Health Organization End TB goal of reducing TB deaths by 95% by 2035. We compared TB death data for England and Wales from the national surveillance system (Enhanced Tuberculosis Surveillance System [ETS]) and the vital registration system from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

METHODS: TB cases notified in ETS were matched to deaths in ONS (dONS) with International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes indicating that TB caused/contributed to the death (A15–A19). Deaths captured in one but not both systems were assessed to identify if ONS captured all TB deaths and if there was under-notification of TB in ETS. We stratified deaths into active TB, TB sequelae, incidental deaths and not TB.

RESULTS: Between 2005 and 2015, there were fewer deaths in ETS (dETS) than dONS with ICD-10 codes A15–A19 (n = 4207 vs. n = 6560); 57% of dETS were recorded as dONS and 53% of dONS were notified to ETS. A total of 9289 deaths were identified from dETS and dONS: 64% were due to active TB, 23% were TB sequelae, 6% were incidental and 7% were not TB.

CONCLUSIONS: TB deaths in ETS and ONS differ substantially. Almost one third of TB deaths recorded by ONS are not due to active TB; this can be amended through coding changes.
%O This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
%L discovery10040916
%K death, outcome, TB surveillance, vital registration
%J The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
%P 572-578
%D 2018
%A MK Lalor
%A T Mohiyuddin
%A T Uddin
%A HL Thomas
%A M Lipman
%A CNJ Campbell
%V 22
%T The challenge of estimating tuberculosis mortality accurately in England and Wales
%N 5