[Epidemiology of tuberculosis: a global, European and Polish perspective]

Tuberculosis (TB) still remains a significant global health problem. At present, it has been estimated that one-third of the world's population is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of TB. A total of 8-9 million new cases and 2 million deaths are recorded annually, ranking TB as the leading cause of morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases. According to the World Health Organization, by 2015 almost 1 billion people will become newly infected, about 200 million will develop the disease, and 35 million will die of TB, if the current trends continue. A number of factors have contributed to the global TB crisis, among which low case detection rates, the emergence of drug-resistant M. tuberculosis strains, coinfection with HIV, increased influx of immigrants from countries with a high incidence of TB, socioeconomic decline and deterioration of health care services seem to be most crucial. Although TB occurs predominantly in low-income and middle-income countries that account for as much as 95% of all new cases and 98% of all TB deaths, the disease persists in the populations of the developed countries, posing a potential risk for its resurgence. This review provides an update of the epidemiological situation of TB in the world, Europe, and Poland.