Yellowknife (Feb 06/06) - Tuberculosis has loosened its grip on the people of the NWT, but it's not gone and health officials say it's not forgotten.

Radiologist Dr. Ken Macdonell examines an x-ray of a patient's lungs. Tuberculosis is dangerous because it has a slow onset, can destroy your lungs and cause respiratory system failure if not treated in early stages. - Dez Loreen/NNSL photo TB TALE 2001 - 8 cases 2002 - 4 cases 2003 - 12 cases 2004 - 10 cases 2005 - 2 cases (first six months) Rate still high From 2000-2004, the average TB rate was 21/100,000 population, four times the national rate of 5.2/100,000. Regions hit hardest The Tlicho, Deh Cho and Sahtu regions have the highest active rates of TB, 121.9, 32.2 and 26.1 per 100,000 from 1999-2004. Elders affected Average age of person with TB in 2004 was 58. Four times more women than men have been diagnosed. - SOURCE: EpiNorth, Nov. 2005.

More than 150 doctors, nurses and other health workers from around the NWT and Nunavut gathered in Yellowknife for two days last week to sharpen their skills and upgrade their knowledge of the disease.

They'd like to eradicate the disease from the Territories, but that's some time off.

"Our hope right now is to reduce tuberculosis in the North well below the national rate," said Dr. Andre Corriveau, Chief Medical Health Officer of the NWT.

According to the most recent statistics, the rate of TB infection in the Territories is four times the national rate. According to the health department newsletter EpiNorth, there were 10 cases of TB reported in 2004 and two from January-June of 2005.

In contrast, there were 39 cases of TB reported in Nunavut last year.

The focus on TB was sparked by the 2001 death of Effie Black, a 51-year-old Fort McPherson teacher.

She wasn't diagnosed with TB until it was too late.

Following that death, a review of the Territories' TB rate, Alberta TB specialist Dr. Anne Fanning tabled a list of recommendations on how the NWT can combat the disease.

The key recommendation was to step up training of health workers, an effort that continued at last week's two-day training workshop.

Fanning said TB seems to be on the decline in the NWT, but health workers must remain vigilant.

"There are great workers here in the North, but they all need to be aware of the signs," said Fanning.

"It's not noticeable when it's in its early stages."

She added that communities need to know that the disease is preventable early on, but if left unattended, TB can be a killer.