10 facts on tuberculosis
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 12 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 and incidence and eliminating catastrophic costs. It outlines global impact targets to reduce the number of TB deaths by 90% and to reduce the TB incidence rate by 80% between 2015 and 2030, and to ensure that no household is burdened with catastrophic costs due to TB.
In 2023, the United Nations (UN) held its second 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. The resulting political declaration reaffirms existing commitments and targets and includes new ones for the period 2023–2027.
Tb patient takes medicine
In 2024, an estimated 10.7 million people fell ill with TB worldwide
In 2024, an estimated 10.7 million people fell ill with TB worldwide, including 5.8 million men, 3.7 million women and 1.2 million children and young adolescents. TB is present in all countries and age groups. TB is curable and preventable.
TB (tuberculosis) patients, Africa
A total of 1.23 million people died from TB in 2024 (including 150 000 among people with HIV)
A total of 1.23 million people died from TB in 2024 (including 150 000 among people with HIV). Globally TB is the world’s leading cause of death from a single infectious agent and among the top 10 causes of death. It was also the leading killer of people with HIV and a major cause of death related to antimicrobial resistance.
TB patient taking medication
In 2024, the 30 high TB burden countries accounted for 87% of new TB cases
In 2023, the 30 high TB burden countries accounted for 87% of new TB cases. Eight countries account for two thirds of the total: Bangladesh, China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan and the Philippines. The top five countries accounted for 55% of the global total.
A child taking medication
In 2024, 1.2 million children and young adolescents fell ill with TB globally
In 2024, 1.2 million children and young adolescents fell ill with TB globally. Child and adolescent TB is often overlooked by health providers and can be difficult to diagnose and treat. Globally in 2024, coverage of TB diagnosis and treatment was only 58% among children and young adolescents.
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. Among all incident cases of TB in 2024, 5.6% were people living with HIV. This proportion has been steadily declining for several years, with the highest burden in countries in the WHO African Region. In 2024, about 150 000 people died of HIV-associated TB.
The global coverage of HIV testing among people diagnosed with TB remained high in 2024, at 82%. The global coverage of antiretroviral therapy for people living with HIV who were newly diagnosed and reported with TB was 91% in 2024.
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 2 in 5 people with drug resistant TB accessed treatment in 2024. In some cases, an even more severe form of multidrug-resistant TB may develop with poor treatment. Pre-extensively drug-resistant TB (pre-XDR-TB and XDR-TB) are forms of TB that respond to even fewer available drugs.
Photo of children
Global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 83 million lives since the year 2000
Global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 83 million lives since the year 2000, but important diagnostic and treatment gaps persist. The treatment success rate for people treated for TB with first-line regimens was 88% in 2023.
Community volunteers working on TB, Ethiopia
Globally, TB incidence fell by 1.7% between 2023 and 2024, decreasing year-on-year for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic
Globally, in 2024, the estimated number of people who fell ill with TB worldwide decreased year-on-year for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, reversing consecutive years of increases between 2020 and 2023. The TB incidence rate also fell, by 1.7% between 2023 and 2024, and is back to the level of 2020. Globally, the net reduction in the TB incidence rate from 2015 to 2024 was 12.3%, far from the WHO End TB Strategy milestone of a 50% reduction by 2025.
Over 100 countries achieved at least 20% reduction in TB incidence rates, and 65 countries recorded reductions of 35% or more in TB-related deaths. These countries have attained the first milestones of the WHO End TB Strategy.
Detection of tuberculosis in a laboratory
Of the estimated 10.7 million people who fell ill with TB in 2024, only 8.3 million were detected
Of the estimated 10.7 million people who fell ill with TB in 2024, only 8.3 million were detected and notified, leading to a gap of 2.4 million cases. Ending the TB epidemic by 2030 is among the health targets of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Dr Tedros (Director-General of WHO) attending the UN high-level meeting on TB
Progress in reducing the burden of tuberculosis (TB) disease requires adequate funding sustained over many years.
At the 2023 UN high-level meeting on TB, Member States committed to mobilizing at least US$ 22 billion for TB prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care by 2027. There was a decline in global funding available on essential TB services from US$ 6.5 billion in 2019 to US$ 5.7 billion in 2023, which is only 26% of the global target of US$ 22 billion. Financing for TB research and development at US$ 1.0 billion in 2022 also continues to fall far short of the global target of US$ 5 billion per year, constrained by the overall level of investment.
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