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Trends in Tuberculosis, 2010

How many cases of tuberculosis (TB) were reported in the United States in 2010?

A total of 11, 182 TB cases (a rate of 3.6 cases per 100,000 persons) were reported in the United States in 2010.  Both the number of TB cases reported and the case rate decreased; this represents a 3.1% and 3.8% decline, respectively, compared to 2009. The number of reported TB cases in 2010 was the lowest recorded since national reporting began in 1953.

Is the rate of TB declining in the United States?

Yes. Since the 1992 TB resurgence peak in the United States, the number of TB cases reported annually has decreased. Case count and case rate declines in 2009 were considerably steeper than in recent years. During 2000-2008, the TB rate decreased an average of 3.8% annually, compared to a decrease of 11.3% in 2009.

How do the TB rates compare between U.S.-born persons and foreign-born persons living in the United States?

In 2010, 60% of reported TB cases in the United States occurred in foreign-born persons. The case rate among foreign-born persons (18.1 cases per 100,000) in 2010 was approximately 11* times higher than among U.S.-born persons (1.6 cases per 100,000).

* Ratio calculation is based on unrounded data values

How many people died from TB in the United States?

There were 547 deaths from TB in 2009, the most recent year for which these data are available. Compared to 2008 data, when 590 deaths from TB occurred, this represents a 7% decrease in TB deaths.

What are the rates of TB for different racial and ethnic populations†?

  • American Indians or Alaska Natives: 6.4 cases per 100,000 persons
  • Asians: 22.4 cases per 100,000 persons
  • Blacks: 7.0 cases per 100,000 persons
  • Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders: 20.8 cases per 100,000 persons
  • Hispanics or Latinos: 6.5 cases per 100,000 persons
  • Whites: 0.9 cases per 100,000 persons

† For this report, persons identified as white, black, Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, or of multiple races are all non-Hispanic. Persons identified as Hispanic may be of any race.

Is multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) on the rise?

Since 1993, when the TB surveillance system was expanded to include drug-susceptibility results, reported multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB* cases have decreased in the United States.  Among TB cases in the United States with initial drug-susceptibility testing results who did not have prior treatment, the percentage of primary MDR TB cases changed slightly from 1.1% (94 cases) in 2009 to 1.2% (88 cases) in 2010.

Since 1998, the percentage of U.S.-born patients with primary MDR TB has remained at 0.7%. However, of the total number of reported primary MDR TB cases, the proportion occurring in foreign-born persons increased from 25.3% (103 of 407) in 1993, to 82% (72 of 88) in 2010.   

* Primary multidrug-resistant TB (MDR TB) is defined as no previous history of TB disease and is resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampin, the two best first-line TB treatment drugs.

How are TB data collected?

Data on TB cases are reported to CDC from 60 reporting areas, including the 50 states, the District of Columbia, New York City, Puerto Rico, and seven other U.S. jurisdictions in the Pacific and Caribbean. These cases must meet the CDC/Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists case definition. When cases are reported, specific information is provided about the person with TB. This includes the person’s race, ethnicity (either Hispanic or non-Hispanic), treatment information, and when available, drug-susceptibility test results. CDC calculates national and state TB rates, and rates for foreign-born, U.S.-born, and racial/ethnic populations. These calculations use U.S. census population estimates for the years 1993 through 2010.

Where can I find TB data for my state?

The most recent surveillance report, Reported Tuberculosis in the United States, 2010, has TB data from the 60 reporting areas. If you need additional state-specific data not available in this report, you can contact your state TB control office.

References

CDC. Reported Tuberculosis in the United States, 2010. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CDC, October 2011.

Additional Information

CDC. Questions and Answers About TB.

CDC. The Difference Between Latent TB Infection and Active TB Disease.

CDC. Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR TB).

State TB Control Offices

Online Tuberculosis Information System (OTIS)
The Online Tuberculosis Information System (OTIS) is a query-based system containing information on verified tuberculosis (TB) cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

 
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