Progress toward the elimination of tuberculosis--United States, 1998

In 1998, a total of 18,361 tuberculosis (TB) cases were reported from the 50 states and the District of Columbia, a decrease of 8% from 1997 and 31% from 1992, the height of the TB resurgence in the United States. The 1998 rate of 6.8 per 100,000 population was 35% lower than in 1992 (10.5) but remained above the national goal for 2000 of 3.5. This report summarizes national TB surveillance data for 1998 and compares them with similar data from previous years. The findings indicate that the overall number of TB cases continued to decrease, and that trends in the number of reported cases and TB incidence varied by geographic area and population characteristics.