Tuberculosis

Globally in 2016, the total number of new cases of tuberculosis (TB) was estimated at 10.42 million, of which over 160 000 are observed in LAC. The number of TB deaths was estimated at 1.45 million, of which more than 15 000 occurred in LAC. Most of these TB cases and deaths occur disproportionately among men, except in the first 15 years of life were the situation is similar to both genders (GBD Tuberculosis Collaborators et al., 2018[19]). Most cases of TB are preventable if diagnosed and the right treatment is provided. TB was declared a global health emergency by WHO in 1993 and the WHO-coordinated Stop TB Partnership set targets of halving TB prevalence and deaths by 2015, compared with a baseline of 1990. The Sustainable Development Goals foresee the end of the epidemic of tuberculosis by 2030.