TUBERCULOSIS EXTENT OF PROBLEM
Globally
- One-third of the world’s population is infected with TB but does not have the disease (i.e. the disease is latent).
- There are about 15 – 20 million infectious (sputum-positive) cases of TB in the world.
- WHO estimates that between the years 2002- 2020 approximately:
o 1000 million people will be newly infected with TB
o 150 million people will fall ill due to the infection
o 36 million will die of TB
In India
- The population infected with TB is estimated to be around 300 – 350 million (33%)
- Number of active TB cases – about 12 to 15 million
- Number of sputum positive (infectious) cases- 3 to 3.5 million
- Number of deaths due to TB- about 0.5 million / year
Death count for each day in India due to TB- about one death per minute