10 facts on tuberculosis
About one quarter of the world’s population is infected with tuberculosis (TB) bacteria. Only a small proportion of those infected will become sick with TB.
People with weakened immune systems have a much greater risk of falling ill from TB. The chance of developing TB disease is much higher among people living with HIV, and among people affected by risk factors such as undernutrition, diabetes, smoking and alcohol consumption.
The WHO End TB Strategy, adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2014, is a blueprint for countries to end the TB epidemic by driving down TB deaths and incidence and eliminating catastrophic costs. It outlines global impact targets to reduce the number of TB deaths by 90% and to reduce the TB incidence rate by 80% between 2015 and 2030, and to ensure that no household is burdened with catastrophic costs due to TB.
In 2023, the United Nations (UN) held its second high-level meeting on TB, elevating discussion about the status of the TB epidemic and how to end it to the level of heads of state and government. The resulting political declaration reaffirms existing commitments and targets and includes new ones for the period 2023–2027.
A third UN high-level meeting on TB is scheduled for 2028.
Tb patient takes medicine
In 2025, an estimated 10.6 million people fell ill with TB worldwide
In 2025, an estimated 10.6 million people fell ill with TB worldwide, including 5.7 million men, 3.7 million women and 1.2 million children and young adolescents. TB is present in all countries and age groups. TB is curable and preventable.
TB (tuberculosis) patients, Africa
A total of 1.13 million people died from TB in 2025 (including 137 000 among people with HIV)
A total of 1.13 million people died from TB in 2025 (including 137 000 among people with HIV). Globally TB is the world’s leading cause of death from a single infectious agent and ranked 13th overall.
TB patient taking medication
In 2025, the 30 high TB burden countries accounted for 88% of new TB cases
In 2025, the 30 high TB burden countries accounted for 88% of new TB cases. Eight countries account for two thirds of the total: Bangladesh, China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan and the Philippines.
A child taking medication
In 2025, 1.2 million children and young adolescents fell ill with TB globally
In 2025, 1.2 million children and young adolescents fell ill with TB globally. Child and adolescent TB is often overlooked by health providers and can be difficult to diagnose and treat.
Tuberculosis and HIV detection and treatment in the WHO African Region
TB is the leading killer of people with HIV
TB is the leading killer of people with HIV. Among all incident cases of TB in 2025, 5.6% were people living with HIV. This proportion has been steadily declining for several years, with the highest burden in countries in the WHO African Region. In 2025, about 137 000 people died of HIV-associated TB.
The global coverage of HIV testing among people diagnosed with TB remained high in 2025, at 83%. The global coverage of antiretroviral therapy for people living with HIV who were newly diagnosed and reported with TB fell to 87% in 2025, from 91% in 2024.
TB patient taking medication
Drug-resistant TB remains a public health crisis and a health security threat
Drug-resistant TB remains a public health crisis and a health security threat. Only about two in five people with drug-resistant TB accessed treatment in 2025. Shorter six-month regimens were used for 42% of people treated for rifampicin-resistant TB in 2025, up from 18% in 2024. In some cases, an even more severe form of multidrug-resistant TB may develop with poor treatment. Pre-extensively drug-resistant TB (pre-XDR-TB and XDR-TB) are forms of TB that respond to even fewer available drugs.
Photo of children
Global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 86 million lives since the year 2000
Global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 86 million lives since the year 2000, but important diagnostic and treatment gaps persist. The treatment success rate for people treated for drug-susceptible TB was 90% in 2024.
Community volunteers working on TB, Ethiopia
Globally, TB incidence fell by 1.6 between 2024 and 2025
Globally, in 2025, the estimated number of people who fell ill with TB worldwide decreased slightly (by 0.7%) for the second consecutive year, following increases between 2021 and 2023 caused by COVID-related disruptions to TB diagnosis and treatment. The TB incidence rate fell by 1.6% between 2024 and 2025. Globally, the net reduction in the TB incidence rate from 2015 to 2025 was 14%, far from the WHO End TB Strategy milestone of a 50% reduction by 2025.
By 2025, 99 countries achieved at least 20% reduction in TB incidence rates, and 89 countries recorded reductions of 35% or more in TB-related deaths, compared with 2015. These countries have attained the first milestones of the WHO End TB Strategy.
Detection of tuberculosis in a laboratory
Of the estimated 10.6 million people who fell ill with TB in 2025, only 8.4 million were detected
Of the estimated 10.6 million people who fell ill with TB in 2025, only 8.4 million were detected and notified, leading to a gap of about 2.2 million cases. Ending the TB epidemic by 2030 is among the health targets of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Dr Tedros (Director-General of WHO) attending the UN high-level meeting on TB
Progress in reducing the burden of tuberculosis (TB) disease requires adequate funding sustained over many years.
At the 2023 UN high-level meeting on TB, Member States committed to mobilizing at least US$ 22 billion per year for TB prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care by 2027. Funding available for essential TB services in low- and middle-income countries increased from US$ 6.0 billion in 2024 to US$ 6.6 billion in 2025, driven by domestic funding, while international donor funding fell by 14%. This is only 30% of the global target of US$ 22 billion. Financing for TB research and development at US$ 1.2 billion in 2023 also continues to fall far short of the global target of US$ 5 billion per year, constrained by the overall level of investment.
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