Burden of TB in the United States

Woman holding TB materials , standing in front of a diverse group of people, meeting in a library with TB posters in the background

Too many people in the United States still suffer from TB disease. New 2018 TB surveillance data can help track progress toward elimination, and inform TB prevention and control activities.

Despite being preventable and curable, tuberculosis (TB) is the world’s leading infectious disease killer. TB affects millions around the world and here in the United States; in every state; in rural areas and cities; in schools, workplaces, homes; and in many other places where people are in close contact.

Ending TB will require a dual approach of maintaining and strengthening current TB control priorities while increasing efforts to identify and treat latent TB infection in high-risk populations. The United States continues to have one of the lowest TB case rates in the world, and the 2018 case count represents the lowest number of TB cases on record. Still, too many people suffer from TB disease. Many TB survivors like Laura, Tenzin, and Kristi have shared their TB stories to help bring increased awareness to TB disease.

CDC works with state and local partners to achieve the goal of TB elimination in the United States. One key activity is collecting TB surveillance data to track national progress toward elimination and to inform TB prevention and control activities. The 2018 edition of Reported Tuberculosis in the United States marks a milestone as the first one to be published exclusively online, to help our audiences discover, view, and share content more easily.

End TB - United Nations, High-Level Meeting on the Fight to End Tuberculosis - September 26, 2018

The 2018 U.S. case count represents the lowest number of TB cases on record.

Highlights from the 2018 U.S. TB Surveillance Report

There were 9,025 TB cases reported in the United States in 2018, which represents a 0.7% decrease from 2017.
The overall annual TB incidence decreased to 2.8 cases per 100,000.
TB cases were reported in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
People born outside of the United States continue to be disproportionately affected, largely because they have developed TB disease from longstanding, latent TB infection that occurred in their country of origin.
Nationally, 12.6% of U.S. TB cases with genotype data are attributed to recent transmission.

CDC has created a slide set, fact sheet, infographic [639 KB], and web graphics with highlights from the surveillance report to support TB education and outreach to clinicians, health care agencies, and community organizations.

Treating Latent TB Infection Prevents TB Disease

Testing for and treating latent TB infection in high-risk populations is the most effective way to prevent TB disease. Up to 13 million people in the United States have latent TB infection. Although anyone can get TB, some people have a higher risk of being infected with TB germs, and should be tested for TB infection. These groups include:

People born in or who frequently travel to countries where TB disease is common.
People who currently, or used to, live in large group settings, such as homeless shelters or prisons and jails where TB is more common.
Health care workers and others who work in places at high risk for TB transmission.
Someone who has spent time with a person who has infectious TB disease.

People with weaker immune systems, such as those with certain health conditions or taking certain medications, have a higher risk of developing TB disease once infected and should be tested as part of their regular medical care. CDC encourages the use of short-course treatment regimens for latent TB infection to improve treatment completion.

CDC is Committed to Eliminating TB in the United States

The United States has made great progress towards the goal of TB elimination, but we can increase our prevention efforts to turn TB elimination into a reality. CDC is committed to working with public health partners, clinicians, health care agencies, and community organizations to find, treat, and eventually eliminate TB disease in the United States.