Genesee County Health Department

Better Life Through Better Health

World TB Day 2002

       World TB day will be observed this year on March 24, 2002. The theme for World TB Day 2002 is "Stop TB, Fight Poverty". The theme suggests that tackling TB, one of several illnesses that affect the poor, is one way of achieving greater global prosperity. World TB Day is an occasion for countries around the world to raise awareness about the international health threat presented by TB. 

     In the late 19th century, tuberculosis (TB) killed one out of every seven people living in the United States and Europe. Today, eight million people develop active TB every year. Left untreated, each person with active TB will infect on average between 10 and 15 people in one year.

     Each year, more people are dying of TB. New outbreaks have occurred in Eastern Europe, where TB deaths are increasing after almost 40 years of steady decline. In terms of numbers of cases, the biggest burden of TB is in Southeast Asia. TB is an increasing and major world wide problem, especially in Africa where the spread is facilitated by AIDS. It is estimated that nearly 1 billion people will become infected, 200 million will become sick, and 70 million will die worldwide between now and 2020. In Genesee County there were 20 reported cases of TB disease in 2001.

      The Genesee County Health Department joins organizations around the world in commemorating "World TB Day" to recognize the devastating toll this disease takes on the world's population, and to call for new treatment and prevention research strategies. For more information on TB in Genesee County, contact Marilyn Legacy, RN, MSA, Immunization Supervisor, (810) 257-3634, at the Genesee County Health Department.