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A Letter from Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, CDC Director, on World TB Day

March 24, 2022
Dear Colleagues,
World Tuberculosis (TB) Day provides an opportunity to inform people about the impact of TB around the world. We share successes in TB prevention and raise awareness of the challenges that continue to hinder our progress toward the elimination of this devastating disease. This is the third World TB Day we have observed amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and we continue to see the toll it takes on our domestic and global TB programs.
Although the United States has reported a record low number of cases, too many people still suffer from TB disease in this country. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial effect on U.S. TB disease trends. In 2021, reported incidence in the U.S. increased 9.4 percent from a historic low in 2020 but remained 12.6 percent lower than the 2019 rate. The continued, substantial reduction from pre-pandemic levels raises concern for missed or delayed TB diagnoses. In addition, CDC estimates that up to 13 million people in the U.S. have latent TB infection, and without treatment, risk developing active TB disease in the future.
Around the world, nearly 2 billion people—a quarter of the world’s population—are infected with TB bacteria and approximately 10 million people become ill each year with the disease. Though TB is preventable and treatable, it remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, taking the lives of 4,100 people each day.

Faced with these challenges, CDC and partners have proven resilient and adapted services to sustain TB screening and treatment activities. In the U.S., CDC invests $80 million annually in health departments across the nation for TB prevention, control, and laboratory services. CDC leads a state-of-the-art national TB program and conducts clinical trials and epidemiologic research that contributes to new diagnostics, treatments, and approaches for eliminating TB. This year, CDC published guidance for a new treatment regimen for extensively drug-resistant TB disease and a shorter four-month regimen to treat drug-susceptible TB disease.
CDC is also engaging with communities disproportionately affected by TB through capacity-building efforts like the TB Elimination Allianceexternal icon, and a new communications campaign Think. Test. Treat TB. aimed at raising awareness of TB prevention and promoting testing for and treatment of latent TB infection.
Our global efforts continue to focus on strengthening national TB strategies in priority countries with high rates of TB, drug-resistant TB, and TB/HIV co-infection. To sustain and expand TB activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, we adapted TB screening and treatment services, incorporating digital care strategies, multi-month dispensing of medicines, and services designed for individual community needs. As a result, CDC and its partners screened 9.5 million people with HIV for TB, nearly 62 percent of all people screened for TB in 2021, through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and supported 1.6 million people living with HIV to complete TB Preventive Treatment.
CDC has partnered with the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease to address the gap in diagnosis and treatment of TB among children. An estimated 63.5 percent of all children with TB are undiagnosed and untreated each year. Together, we established the Child and Adolescent Center of Excellence to build capacity and improve health worker skills to address pediatric TB in nine countries in Africa.
COVID-19 setbacks highlight the fragility of hard-won gains made recently towards global TB elimination targets. Unless TB prevention and treatment efforts are intensified, the United Nations’ TB targets of treating 40 million people and providing TB preventative treatment to 30 million people will likely remain out of reach. But we have also learned a lot over the past few years—to innovate, to adapt, and to act boldly and decisively. By applying these lessons learned, we can make progress toward these global goals.
As an infectious disease physician, I know that timely diagnosis of TB disease saves lives and prevents the spread of TB in our communities. We must regain the momentum lost because of COVID-19 and accelerate progress in saving lives, reaching global TB targets, ensuring equitable access to TB services, and achieving our goal of eliminating TB.
Today, I encourage you to visit CDC’s World TB Day and Global HIV and TB web sites to learn how you can help eliminate TB in your community. You can also view additional resources, testimoniesfrom TB survivors, and success stories from domestic and global TB elimination champions.
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, 2022					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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