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**A Letter from Dr. Rochelle Walensky, CDC Director on World TB Day**
March 24, 2021
Dear Colleagues,
Although preventable and treatable, tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the world’s top infectious disease killers, taking the lives of approximately 4,000 persons every day. One fourth of the world’s population – nearly 2 billion people – are infected with the TB bacteria and approximately 10 million become ill with the disease each year. Public health leaders have set ambitious goals to end TB by 2035; however, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic could have devastating effects on global TB programs including a reversal of progress made in the last decade.
The United States is currently reporting record low TB cases, however, too many people still suffer from the disease. Up to 13 million people in the United States have latent TB infection, and without treatment, are at risk for developing TB disease in the future. A July 2020 report found that as personnel from U.S. state, local, and territorial TB programs were deployed to support their jurisdictions’ COVID-19 response, most TB programs experienced partial or high impact on staff capacity and TB control services.
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On March 24th each year, we observe World TB Dayto commemorate Dr. Robert Koch’s announcement of his discovery of *Mycobacterium tuberculosis*, the bacillus that causes TB. This year, we commemorate World TB Day as the COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for our communities, public health departments, and healthcare facilities. As the response to COVID-19 continues, it is important to maintain essential TB diagnosis, treatment, and prevention services. I know from my own experience as an infectious disease physician how critical it is for healthcare providers to “Think TB,” especially for patients in groups at higher risk of the disease.
Timely diagnoses of TB disease save lives and prevent spread in our communities.
Healthcare workers in the United States and around the world are working tirelessly to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on TB services while demonstrating resiliency and commitment to saving lives, reaching global TB targets, and achieving our goal of ending TB. In addition to working to maintain services, TB professionals are providing critical skills and expertise needed for the COVID-19 response, including case investigation, contact tracing, infection control, and clinical care and treatment.
CDC remains your partner and a resource in the fight against TB. Domestically, CDC leads a state-of-the-art national TB program and conducts clinical trials and epidemiologic research that
TB program and conducts clinical trials.
contribute to new diagnostics, treatments, and approaches for eliminating TB. CDC’s TB Trials Consortium and collaborators from the National Institute of Health’s AIDS Clinical Trials Group recently announcedthe results of Study 31/A5349, the first clinical trial to identify a shorter 4-month daily treatment regimen that is as effective as (non- inferior to) the existing 6-month daily regimen in curing drug-susceptible TB disease. This is the first new short treatment regimen for drug-susceptible TB disease in almost 40 years.
CDC continues to broaden coordination with national, state, and local partners to strengthen TB programs in the United States and reach communities disproportionately affected by TB. This includes engaging private and public primary healthcare providers to expand latent TB infection testing and treatment. To prevent the development of TB disease, CDC is working to make testing for latent TB infectiona routine part of primary carefor patients at higher risk of TB disease, encouraging healthcare providers to use newer TB blood teststo screen for latent TB infection, and prescribe shorter treatments for latent TB infection.
Globally, CDC is on the frontlinesworking alongside partners in countries with the highest TB burden to end the disease. Between 2000 and 2018, 58 million lives were saved, and deaths fell by 38 percent. With CDC support, the number of people receiving TB preventive treatment doubled from 2018 to 2019. In 2020, CDC supported TB screening for 8.1 million people living with HIV – nearly 60 percent of all people living with HIV screened for TB through PEPFAR. Of the 4.1 million people who received TB preventive treatment in 2019, 3.5 million were persons living with HIV. Despite this progress, the global community is not on track to achieve the World Health Organization’s End TB targets. Ambitious actions and resources are needed to reach United Nations TB targets for 2022, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As we observe World TB Day, I encourage you to visit CDC’s Division of Tuberculosis Eliminationand Division of Global HIV and TBfor additional resources, testimoniesfrom TB survivors, and success stories from domesticand global TB elimination champions.
We are in a time of unprecedented challenge and opportunity. We must regain the momentum lost because of COVID-19, accelerate progress, and endeavor to use the pandemic as an opportunity for transformative change. Thank you for your continued commitment as we work together to eliminate TB in the United States and around the world.
Sincerely,
Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH
Director, CDC, and
Administrator, ATSDR
							
					
						Page last reviewed:  March 24, 2021					Content source: 	Division of Tuberculosis Elimination, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention homeTuberculosisBasic TB Factsplus iconHow TB SpreadsLatent TB Infection and TB DiseaseSigns & SymptomsTB Risk FactorsExposure to TBTB PreventionVaccinesTB & HIV CoinfectionTB and DiabetesTB TermsPersonal StoriesTesting & Diagnosisplus iconWho Should be TestedTesting for TB InfectionTesting in BCG-Vaccinated PersonsTB Screening and Testing of Health Care PersonnelTesting During PregnancyDiagnosing latent TB infection and TB diseaseTreatmentplus iconDeciding When to Treat Latent TB InfectionTreatment Regimens for Latent TB Infection (LTBI)Treatment for TB DiseaseAdverse EventsTB Treatment of Persons Living with HIVTB Treatment and PregnancyTB Treatment for ChildrenFrequently Asked QuestionsDrug-Resistant TBResearchplus iconTB Epidemiologic Studies Consortiumplus iconResearch ProjectsPublicationsTB Trials Consortiumplus iconStudy DescriptionsBackgroundBehavioral & Social Science ResearchHealth Care Settingsplus iconTB Infection Control in Health Care SettingsResources for TB Screening and Testing of Health Care Personnelplus iconFrequently Asked QuestionsTB in Specific Populationsplus iconHealth DisparitiesAsian PersonsBlack or African American PersonsHispanic or Latino PersonsChildrenPregnancyCorrectional FacilitiesPeople Experiencing HomelessnessInternational TravelersLaboratory Informationplus iconDrug Susceptibility TestingFalse-Positive Investigation ToolkitInterim Laboratory Biosafety Guidance for XDR  tuberculosis strainsModel Performance Evaluation Program (MPEP)Rapid Molecular Testing to Detect Drug-Resistant TB in the USplus iconExecutive SummaryIntroductionBackground on Tests for Molecular Detection of DRGeneral Considerations and Principles for a Molecular DR Testing ServicePossible Scenarios and Scope of Testing for a Molecular DR Testing ServiceResearch NeedsGeneral Recommendations of the Expert PanelCommunication Plan for the ReportRecommendationsReferencesPanel Members and CDC ParticipantsAppendix 1Appendix 2Appendix 3The Uses of Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests for the Diagnosis of TBplus iconGeneral ConsiderationsGeneral Recommendations of the Expert PanelRecommendations to ACET, CDC, DTBEData & Statisticsplus iconTB Incidence in the United StatesReported TB in the US, 2022 Surveillance Reportplus iconNational DataReporting Area DataRisk FactorsDemographicsTB Treatment and Case OutcomesDrug-Resistant TBMolecular SurveillanceTuberculosis in the United States, 2022 (Slide Set)Archived Surveillance Reports and Slide Sets2021 State and City ReportArchived State and City ReportsProfessional Resources & Toolsplus iconTools for Healthcare ProvidersResources for TB Programsplus iconStrengthening Civil Surgeons’ Capacity to Improve LTBI Surveillance and Outcomes Among Status AdjustersNotice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)Program EvaluationTB Centers of ExcellenceTB Elimination AllianceTB Genotypingplus iconConventional TB GenotypingWhole Genome SequencingTB GIMSAnalytic ToolsLatent Tuberculosis Infection ResourcesPublications & Productsplus iconPatient and Public MaterialsFact SheetsGuidelinesplus iconControl & EliminationDrug-Resistant TBInfection Control & PreventionLaboratory & GenotypingTB & HIVTB in Specific PopulationsTesting & DiagnosisTreatmentVaccines & ImmunizationsArchived TB GuidelinesGuides & Toolkitsplus iconAggregate ReportsCDC TB Surveillance TrainingCore CurriculumEffective TB Interviewing for Contact InvestigationEthnographic GuidesFalse-Positive Investigation ToolkitForging Partnerships to Eliminate TuberculosisGuide to Application of GenotypingLTBI: A Guide for Primary Health Care ProvidersMantoux Tuberculin Skin Testing ProductsReport of Verified Case of Tuberculosis (RVCT)Self-Study ModulesTB Contact Investigation Interviewing Skills CourseTB eDOT ToolkitUnderstanding the TB Cohort Review ProcessNewslettersplus iconTB Notes, No. 4, 2023TB Notes, No. 3, 2023TB Notes. No. 2, 2023TB Notes. No. 1, 2023TB Notes, No. 4, 2022TB Notes, No. 3, 2022TB Notes, No. 2, 2022TB Notes, No. 1, 2022TB Notes, No. 4, 2021TB Notes, No. 3, 2021TB Notes, No. 2, 2021TB Notes, No. 1, 2021Pamphlets, Brochures, Bookletsplus iconQuestions and AnswersPatient Education SeriesTuberculosis - Get the FactsTuberculosis - The Connection between TB and HIV12-Dose Regimen for Latent TB Infection-Patient Education BrochurePostersplus iconMantoux Tuberculin Skin Test Wall ChartWorld TB DayThink TBStop TBTake on TBReports & Articlesplus iconDTBE Authored Journal ArticlesTuberculosis Laboratory Aggregate ReportsSlide Setsplus iconIntroduction to TuberculosisEpidemiology of Tuberculosis Among Non-U.S.​–Born Persons in the United States, 1993–2016Self-Study Modules on Tuberculosis, 1-5 Slide SetsThe Tuberculosis (TB) in Correctional Settingsplus iconFacilitator GuideIntroduction to TB GenotypingEpidemiology of Tuberculosis in Correctional Facilities, United States, 1993-2017Prevention and Control of Tuberculosis in Correctional and Detention FacilitiesGuidelines for Preventing the Transmission of M. TB in Health care SettingsInvestigation of Contacts of Persons with Infectious TBEpidemiology of Pediatric Tuberculosis in the United StatesTargeted Tuberculosis Testing and Treatment of Latent Tuberculosis InfectionElectronic Tools & ResourcesWeb-Based Courses & Webinarsplus iconTB 101 for Health Care WorkersContent SyndicationInfographicsplus iconSocial Media GraphicsCustomizable Take on TB Infographic with InstructionsEventsWorld TB Dayplus iconU.S. TB ChampionsHistoryFeaturesplus iconTB Risk FactorsTreating Latent TB Infection with Short-Course RegimensWorld Tuberculosis (TB) Day 2021World Tuberculosis (TB) Day 2020Linksplus iconState TB Control OfficesAbout Usplus iconMission Statement and Activitiesplus iconDTBE Strategic PlanNational TB Program ObjectivesOrganization ChartAdvisory Groupsplus iconFederal TB Task Force To receive email updates about this page, enter your email address: Email Address			What's this?				Submit


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