Epidemiology refers to the distribution and burden of disease in a population.
In the United States (US)
TB disease incidence:
The number of TB cases in 2020 was 7,174 (and has been on a steady decline each year – except for years 1986-1994, when injecting drug use and the onset of the HIV/AIDS epidemic during the 1980s played important roles in the resurgence of TB). To see the stark improvement in the US over time, compare the 2020 new case load of 7,174 with that of 84,304 new cases in 1953.
The current incidence rate = 2.2 per 100,000 population.
In 2019, approximately 70% of the TB disease cases occurred in non-US-born individuals (CDC, 2020).
LTBI prevalence:
The number of individuals living with latent TB infection (LTBI) is estimated to be as high as 13 million, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2022).
