Tuberculosis Overview
Leila - July 5th
Tuberculosis (TB) is the most common cause of infectious disease–related mortality worldwide. The World Health Organization estimates that 2 billion people have latent TB, while another 3 million people worldwide die of TB each year.
Although TB rates are decreasing in the United States, the disease is becoming more common in many parts of the world. In addition, the prevalence of drug-resistant TB is also increasing worldwide. Co-infection with HIV has been an important factor in the emergence and spread of resistance. New TB treatments are being developed, and new TB vaccines are currently under investigation.
The incidence of TB has been declining since the early 20th century because various factors, including basic infection-control practices (isolation).
An estimated 20-33% of the world's population is infected with M tuberculosis.
The case-fatality rate for TB was 50% for untreated patients before the advent of antibiotic therapy. TB-related deaths worldwide are estimated at 3 million per year.
