Stop TB in My Lifetime: A Call for a World Free of TB - World TB Day 2013

Stop TB in My Lifetime: A Call for a World Free of TB - World TB Day 2013

This program is presented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Tuberculosis, also called TB, is one of the world's deadliest diseases. One-third of the world's population is infected with TB; each year, almost nine million people around the world become sick with TB disease, and one and a half million die from it. TB is also a leading killer of people who are infected with HIV. Fortunately, TB disease is preventable and treatable.

World TB Day is March 24. This annual event commemorates the date in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced his discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria that cause TB. The day provides an opportunity to raise awareness about this deadly disease, and to support worldwide TB-control efforts. CDC and our partners are committed to a world free of TB.

This year, CDC joins the global Stop TB Partnership in adopting the slogan “Stop TB in my lifetime.” Today’s children should expect to see a world where no one gets sick with TB. In their lifetime, adults should expect to see a world where no one dies from TB. We all have different hopes, such as faster treatment; a quick, inexpensive, low-technology TB test that’s accessible to all; or a more effective vaccine.

CDC encourages people all over the world, from the youngest to the oldest, to make an individual call for the elimination of TB and state what changes they expect to take place in their lifetime. Together, we can stop TB in our lifetime!

To learn more about TB prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, visit www.cdc.gov/tb.

For the most accurate health information, visit www.cdc.gov or call 1-800-CDC-INFO.