Tuberculosis (TB)
Although TB is curable and preventable, it is one of the deadliest infectious diseases in the world.
Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It causes fever, weight loss, a persistent cough and coughing up blood. TB is an airborne infectious disease. It is spread through droplets in the air, via a sneeze or a cough from people who are infected.
Although the number of TB cases has decreased over the past decades, mainly in high economic countries, it is still an important public health problem. This is due to recently emerging bacterial strains, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, that are not responsive to commonly used drugs.
“The investigative effort to collect, analyse and evaluate epidemiological and socio-economic data is vital in achieving the primary goal of eliminating TB globally. Only through accurate data can national TB control programmes adapt to their country specificities. This collection of statistics will ensure that the allocation of resources can be more efficient and lead to better results in the long term while aiming for TB elimination.” Raquel Duarte, Pulmonologist at Centro Hospitalar de Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Secretary of ERS Assembly 10.
TB in numbers
in 2019 in the WHO European region
The charts below present data from GBD studies to provide a uniform evaluation of the state of lung health. To find out more about how this data is put together, visit the methodology page. All charts are freely available to download by clicking the three dots in the top right hand corner. Please reference Lung Facts when sharing.
Europe: the big picture
Incidence rate
Incidence numbers
Prevalence rate
Prevalence numbers
Mortality rate
Mortality numbers
Years of life lost (YLL) rate
Years of life lost (YLL) numbers
Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) rate
Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) numbers
Monetised DALYS – societal cost for whole population in international dollars
Monetised DALYS – societal cost per 100,000 people in international dollars
“We need data to understand how effective our policies are in controlling TB. Without a respiratory plan, we cannot know what funding is needed to achieve results. Reducing the incidence of TB is not only beneficial for one person, or their family, but it benefits the whole society, state and even world in the end because this disease has no restrictions or barriers.”
Tolibjon Karimov, who has experience of living with TB
