Tuberculosis

TB is a leading cause of death among women of reproductive age and is estimated to cause more deaths among this group than all causes of maternal mortality. Women are less likely than men to be tested and treated for TB, and are also less likely to develop an infection. Over 250,000 children die every year of TB. Children are particularly vulnerable to TB infection because of frequent household contact. Poverty, a lack of basic health services, poor nutrition, and inadequate living conditions all contribute to the spread of TB. It has been estimated that the gap is U$300 million a year to address the TB epidemic in low and middle-income countries.

The Epidemic

Tuberculosis (TB) kills about two million people each year, making it one of the world's leading infectious causes of death among young people and adults. Each year, more than 8 million people become sick with TB and one-third of the world's population is infected with TB. Due to a combination of economic decline, the breakdown of health systems, insufficient application of TB control measures, the spread of HIV/AIDS and the emergence of multi-drug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), TB is on the rise in many developing and transitional economies.

Impact

Sub-Saharan Africa: More than 1.5 million TB cases occur in Sub-Saharan Africa each year. This number is rising rapidly, largely due to high prevalence of HIV. More than 75% of TB-related disease and death occurs among people between the ages of 15 to 54 - the most economically active segment of the population. TB and HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDS and TB form a lethal combination, each speeding the other's progress. HIV promotes rapid progression of primary TB infection to active disease and is the most powerful known risk factor for reactivation of latent TB infection to active disease.

TB is a leading killer of people living with HIV/AIDS and one-third of people infected with HIV will develop TB. Prevention and Care TB infection can be prevented, treated and contained. The World Health Organization recommends a strategy for detection and cure called DOTS.

Drugs for DOTS can cost only US$10 per person for the full treatment course (six to eight months).21 DOTS is successful and has a success rate of up to 80% in the poorest countries, prevents new infections by curing infectious patients.