133 years ago, doctor Robert Koch identified Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, the etiological agent of Tuberculosis (TB). Data from the WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2014 reveal that about 9 million people fell ill with TB in 2013 (1,1 million cases among people living with). In 2013, 1,5 million people died from TB. Between 2000 and 2013, 37 million lives were saved through effective diagnosis and treatment. In 2013, an estimated 480.000 people developed multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). Progress in detection and treatment of MDR-TB are occurring rapidly. The WHO Guidelines on the Management of Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI) 2015 provide useful Public Health information on the management of people with LTBI at high risk of progression to active disease.
Much as been done but there is still a long way since about 3 million people with TB were “missed” every year.