World TB Day is March 24. This annual event commemorates the date in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced his discovery of M. tuberculosis, the bacteria that causes tuberculosis (TB).
World TB Day provides an opportunity to call to attention TB-related problems and solutions and to support worldwide TB-control efforts. CDC and our partners are committed to eliminating TB in the United States.
In the United States, the theme for World TB Day 2010 is "TB Elimination: Together We Can!"
TB is a disease caused by germs that are spread from person to person through the air. TB usually affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body, such as the brain, the kidneys, or the spine. A person with TB can die if they do not get treatment.
General symptoms of TB include feelings of sickness or weakness, weight loss, fever, and night sweats. Symptoms of TB disease of the lungs also include coughing, chest pain, and coughing up of blood. Symptoms of TB disease in other parts of the body depend on the area affected.
How many cases of TB were reported in the United States in 2008?
In total, 12,904 TB cases (a rate of 4.2 cases per 100,000 persons) were reported in the United States in 2008. Both the number of TB cases reported and the case rate decreased; this represents a 2.9% and 3.8% decline, respectively, compared to 2007. The TB rate in 2008 was the lowest recorded since national reporting began in 1953.
How many people died from TB in the United States?
There were 644 deaths from TB in 2006, the most recent year for which these data are available. Compared to 1996 data, when 1,202 deaths from TB occurred, this represents a 46% decrease in TB deaths in the last decade.
What are the rates of TB for different racial and ethnic populations?
- American Indians or Alaska Natives: 6.0 cases per 100,000 persons.
- Asians: 25.6 cases per 100,000 persons.
- Blacks: 8.8 cases per 100,000 persons.
- Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders: 15.9 cases per 100,000 persons.
- Hispanics or Latinos: 8.1 cases per 100,000 persons.
- Whites: 1.1 cases per 100,000 persons.
For this report, persons identified as white, black, Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, or of multiple races are all non-Hispanic. Persons identified as Hispanic may be of any race.
Data Source: CDC. Trends in Tuberculosis, 2008. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2009. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/tb/publications/factsheets/statistics/TBTrends.htm.
- Educate your community about TB.
- Get involved in local coalition education and awareness activities.
- Work with your local HIV/AIDS program to raise awareness about the threat of TB for people living with HIV/AIDS. Learn more about TB and HIV/AIDS:
- Ensure that efforts to eliminate TB continue.
