An inspector calls : the disease detectives.

Dr Nicol Black, Head of the Communicable Disease Control Unit in Newcastle Upon Tyne General Hospital, and his team are responsible for tracking down diseases like Meningitis, TB and Salmonella. He talks about the three aims of the Unit, namely, surveillance, control and prevention of infectious diseases. The number of TB cases has been growing, particularly in deprived areas. But recently two children from the more affluent areas have been tested positive. Dr Martin Shweiger, talks about the ways in which infections spread. Doctors fear that the resurgance of TB due to a vaccine shortage in the country. There is an added strain in areas like Newcastle, which expects to have 5-8 thousand asylum seekers from all over the world. Refugees and asylum seekers are screened for TB. Dr Schweiger expresses concern that many young doctors have not seen a tuberculosis case during their time in medical schools.