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A short video about TB patients and the spread of multidrug-resistant TB. Credit: Carl Cordonnier/Dailylife

Tuberculosis in the European Region

WHO estimates that tuberculosis (TB), a contagious airborne disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, infects one third of the world’s population. In the European Region alone, TB causes 49 new cases and kills 7 people every hour. TB continues to pose a serious threat to individuals and public health.

This does not have to be so. Timely prevention, diagnosis and treatment can control the spread of infection and treat and cure existing cases. WHO/Europe works with many partners to:

• improve the monitoring and surveillance of TB and support the implementation of the Stop TB Strategy in the WHO European Region;
• provide policy guidance and technical assistance to countries for effective TB control;
• develop guidelines and protocols on TB diagnosis, treatment, prevention and care for programme managers, policy-makers, nongovernmental organizations, technical and financial partners and health personnel.