Laboratory Centre for Disease Control, Health Canada. Asthma Asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition of the airways and one of the most prevalent chronic conditions in Canada. As many as 1 in 5 children and 1 in 10 adults has asthma. Many acute attacks in asthmatic children are preventable. After decades of declining rates, the reported incidence of TB in Canada has levelled off since 1987 and approximately 2000 cases are reported each year.
Tuberculosis is the leading cause of death due to a single infectious agent worldwide.
In Canada in 1996, there were 204 cases of TB diagnosed in children and youth aged 0-19 years. Of these cases 108 occurred in children less than 10 years of age and the remaining 96 cases occurred in those 10-19 years. Certain groups of the population are at increased risk for this disease including disadvantaged inner city residents, such as the homeless, Aboriginal Peoples and individuals who have come from regions of the world where the disease is much more prevalent.