Report of the WHO consultation on asymptomatic tuberculosis, Geneva, Switzerland, 14-15 October 2024

This report summarizes the proceedings of a World Health Organization (WHO) technical consultation on asymptomatic tuberculosis (aTB), held in Geneva on 14–15 October 2024. The consultation brought together experts, national tuberculosis programme representatives, researchers, technical partners and civil society to discuss the definition, clinical and public health significance, and programmatic implications of aTB. The report reviews current evidence on the natural history of tuberculosis, the contribution of asymptomatic disease to transmission, and the challenges associated with diagnosis, screening, treatment and surveillance. It also examines the implications of asymptomatic tuberculosis for WHO guidance on screening, infection prevention and control, preventive treatment and case notification.

Participants agreed on programmatic definitions for asymptomatic tuberculosis, including bacteriologically confirmed and bacteriologically unconfirmed forms, aligned with existing WHO tuberculosis surveillance definitions. The report highlights operational considerations for implementing these definitions in national programmes, including symptom criteria, diagnostic approaches, data recording and patient management. It also identifies priority areas for research, such as transmission dynamics, diagnostic tools, biomarkers, treatment regimens and strategies to support early detection and adherence to care.