Can Tuberculosis Cases Decrease in 2025

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently published an updated report on tuberculosis (TB), placing this infectious disease as the leading killer in 2023 and a substantial public health threat in the years to come.

The 2024 WHO Global TB Report highlights the return of tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, after three years dominated by SARS-CoV-2 as the leading cause of death from infectious disease, TB causing an estimated 1.25 million related fatalities.

The disease disproportionately affects people in a few high-burden countries: India (26%), Indonesia (10%), China (6.8%), the Philippines (6.8%), and Pakistan (6.3%).

The Journal of International Infectious Disease recently published an Editorial (Volume 150107325, January 2025) that asks, 'How far are we from the End TB goals of reduction of TB incidence by 80%, deaths by 90%, and elimination of catastrophic costs for TB-affected households by 2030?

These authors stated, 'The findings from the 2024 WHO report underscore the critical need for accelerating global action. The report clarifies that global milestones for reducing TB incidence are off-track."

"Immediate and sustained actions, increased financial investment, and collaborative efforts across sectors are essential to address these challenges, echoing UN sustainable development goals (SDG)."

"We call for strategic actions that align with the SDG to achieve the WHO End TB goals. Immediate and coordinated measures are critical to mitigate gaps in TB diagnosis, treatment, and prevention while addressing the socio-economic factors that exacerbate the spread of TB."

In the United States, TB cases have been increasing.

As of December 2024, the U.S. CDC reported 7,152 TB cases this year, led by California and New York (NYC).

The U.S. CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published in June 2024, examined the most recent five years of National TB Indicators Project data, which indicates that up to 13 million people in 60 U.S. jurisdictions live with latent TB infection. 

While TB is a vaccine-preventable disease, the access has been constrained.

The Global Coalition of TB Advocates confirmed that 16 TB vaccines are available in 2024. As of December 2024, GlobalData reported that 11 TB vaccine candidates are in late-stage development globally. 

The complete, unedited article is posted at this link.