10 facts on tuberculosis

26 October 2022

About one quarter of the world’s population is infected with tuberculosis (TB) bacteria. Only a small proportion of those infected will become sick with TB.

People with weakened immune systems have a much greater risk of falling ill from TB. A person living with HIV is about 20 times more likely to develop active TB.

The WHO End TB Strategy, adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2014, is a blueprint for countries to end the TB epidemic by driving down TB deaths, incidence and eliminating catastrophic costs. It outlines global impact targets to reduce TB deaths by 90% and to cut new cases by 80% between 2015 and 2030, and to ensure that no family is burdened with catastrophic expenses due to TB.

On 26 September 2018, the United Nations (UN) held its first- ever high-level meeting on TB, elevating discussion about the status of the TB epidemic and how to end it to the level of heads of state and government. It followed the first WHO Global Ministerial Conference on Ending TB hosted by the Russian Federation in 2017.

Pan American Health Organization PAHO
Tb patient takes medicine

In 2021, an estimated 10.6 million people fell ill with tuberculosis (TB) worldwide.

In 2021, an estimated 10.6 million people fell ill with tuberculosis (TB) worldwide. Six million men, 3.4 million women and 1.2 million children. TB is present in all countries and age groups. But TB is curable and preventable.

WHO
TB (tuberculosis) patients, Africa

A total of 1.6 million people died from TB in 2021 (including 187 000 people with HIV)

A total of 1.6 million people died from TB in 2021 (including 187 000 people with HIV). Worldwide, TB is the 13th leading cause of death and the second leading infectious killer after COVID-19 (above HIV and AIDS).

WHO
TB patient taking medication

In 2021, the 30 high TB burden countries accounted for 87% of new TB cases

In 2021, the 30 high TB burden countries accounted for 87% of new TB cases. Eight countries account for two thirds of the total, with India leading the count, Indonesia, China, the Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Tobias Hofsäss
A child taking medication

In 2021, 1.2 million children fell ill with TB globally

In 2021, 1.2 million children fell ill with TB globally. Child and adolescent TB is often overlooked by health providers and can be difficult to diagnose and treat.

WHO
Tuberculosis and HIV detection and treatment in the WHO African Region

TB is the leading killer of people with HIV

TB is the leading killer of people with HIV. In 2021, there were 368 641people who had TB and HIV were notified, of whom only 46% were on antiretroviral therapy. Most of the gaps in detection and treatment were in the WHO African Region, where the burden of HIV associated TB is highest.

WHO
TB patient taking medication

Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) remains a public health crisis and a health security threat

Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) remains a public health crisis and a health security threat. Only about 36% people with drug resistant TB accessed treatment in 2020. In some cases an even more severe form of multi-drug resistant TB may develop with bad treatment. Pre-extensively drug-resistant TB (pre-XDR-TB) and (XDR-TB) are forms of TB that responds to even fewer available medicines.

WHO
Photo of children

An estimated 74 million lives were saved through TB diagnosis and treatment between 2000 and 2021.

TB treatment saved about 74 million lives globally between 2000 and 2021, but important diagnostic and treatment gaps persist. The treatment success rate for people with TB was 86% in 2020.

WHO/N. Tesfaye
Community volunteers working on TB, Ethiopia

Globally, TB incidence rose by 3.6% between 2020 and 2021, reversing declines of about 2% per year for most of the past 2 decades

Globally, TB incidence rose by 3.6% between 2020 and 2021, reversing declines of about 2% per year for most of the past 2 decades. This is still slower than the 4–5% annual decline that was required to achieve the 2020 milestones of the WHO End TB Strategy.

WHO/UNITAID
Detection of tuberculosis in a laboratory

Of the estimated 10.6 million people who fell ill with TB in 2021, only 6.4 million were detected

Of the estimated 10.6 million people who fell ill with TB in 2021, only 6.4 million were detected and notified, leading to a gap of 4.2 million cases. Ending the TB epidemic by 2030 is among the health targets of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Ben Hartschuh/WHO
Dr Tedros (Director-General of WHO) attending the UN high-level meeting on TB

Funding for the provision of TB prevention, diagnostic and treatment services increased from 2010 to 2019

Funding for the provision of TB prevention, diagnostic and treatment services increased from 2010 to 2019, spending in low and middle-income countries increased from US$ 5.3 billion in 2020 to US$5.4 billion in 2020. This falls far short of the target of US$13 billion per year by 2022 that was set at the first UN high-level meeting on TB. For research and development, at least an extra US$ 1.1 billion per year is needed to accelerate the development of new tools.