Tuberculosis once again becomes the world’s leading infectious killer

In addition, TB research remains severely underfunded. In 2022, research funding reached only one-fifth of the annual target of US$ 5 billion, severely hampering the development of new TB diagnostics, drugs and vaccines. WHO is advancing efforts for a TB vaccine.

Complex drivers of the epidemic

The report estimates for the first time the proportion of households facing catastrophic costs (more than 20% of annual household income) for TB diagnosis and treatment in all low- and middle-income countries, and shows that half of TB households suffer such catastrophic costs.

The massive increase in new TB cases is driven primarily by five major risk factors: malnutrition, HIV infection, alcohol use disorder, smoking (especially among men) and diabetes.