World TB Day is designed to build public awareness that tuberculosis (TB) remains an epidemic in much of the world, causing the deaths of several million people each year, mostly in the third world.
TB Day on 24 March commemorates the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch astounded the scientific community by announcing that he had discovered the cause of tuberculosis, the TB bacillus.
At the time of Koch's announcement in Berlin, TB was raging through Europe and the Americas, causing the death of one out of every seven people.
Koch's discovery opened the way toward diagnosing and curing tuberculosis.
TB is still a major problem in South Africa, but it can be cured, provided you get treatment.
It is time!
It’s time to test and treat latent TB infection.
Up to 13 million people in the United States have latent TB infection, and without treatment, they are at risk for developing TB disease in the future.
We must continue to find and treat cases of active TB disease and also test and treat latent TB infection to prevent progression to disease it’s time to test and treat latent TB infection.
Up to 13 million people in the United States have latent TB infection, and without treatment, they are at risk for developing TB disease in the future.
We must continue to find and treat cases of active TB disease and also test and treat latent TB infection to prevent progression to disease.
It’s time we strengthen TB education and awareness among health care providers.
Treatment of latent TB infection is essential to controlling and eliminating TB in the United States. Our public health system and private providers play a crucial role in this effort.
It’s time to speak up.
CDC’s TB Personal Stories series highlights the experiences of people diagnosed with latent TB infection and TB disease. CDC is committed to raising awareness and increasing efforts to test and treat persons with latent TB infection to prevent TB disease.
It’s time to end stigma.
Stigma associated with TB disease may also place certain populations at higher risk. Stigma may keep people from seeking medical care or follow-up care for TB. But anyone can get TB. People with TB can be found in every state; where we work, where we live, where we learn, and where we spend time with family and friends.
NDoH TB Day tool kit can be downloaded here.