Tuberculosis Continues Infecting People in Africa

The recently released World Health Organization (WHO) 2024 Global Tuberculosis Report revealed tuberculosis remains a leading infectious disease globally.

Unfortunately, the WHO African Region continues to be significantly impacted by tuberculosis (TB) outbreaks.

For example, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are among the eight countries that account for over 60% of the people estimated to have developed TB in 2023.

Nigeria has 4.6% of the global new cases, while the DRC has 3.1%.

When visiting Nigeria or the DRC, the U.S. CDC's Travel Health Notices do not recommend TB vaccination. 

The only vaccine use to prevent TB is about 100 years.

Today, over ten versions of the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine are used worldwide.

Over the decades, BCG vaccination has been found effective for children but less so for adults. The good news is that various TB vaccine candidates are in late-stage development, with authorizations expected soon.