Light and shadows in the medico-social fight against tuberculosis. A retrospective look at tuberculosis in Pamplona (XX Century)

Abstract

Tuberculosis is one of the infectious diseases that can be qualified as constant throughout the history of illnesses. Nonetheless, starting in the early decades of the XX century, mortality provoked by this complaint began a progressive decline throughout Europe. This retrocession also took place in Spain, although with evident regional and local differences. Because of its nature, throughout this century a series of social and medical mechanisms and strategies have been developed around it. Together with the undoubted importance of quantitative analysis, it is essential to pay attention to the social, economic and medical-care factors that have affected its evolution, and the degree of effectiveness of the anti-tuberculosis campaigns. In this way we will be in a situation to present the results - those lights and shadows - of the socio-care policies created for the country as a whole, but applied to a specific space and society such as Pamplona. Similarly, it is not possible to disregard the renewed interest that is being shown in different forums because of the resistances and variations that have been detected in the bacilli, and especially because it has been related to the end of the century "plague", AIDS.