[Fight against tuberculosis in the world]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Diseases
• Global Health Security

Context:

• Tuberculosis (TB) is a significant global health issue requiring continuous strategic intervention.
• Past strategies, including DOTS (directly observed therapy short course) and the "Stop TB Strategy 2006-2015," have shown progress but insufficient to meet elimination goals.
• The mid-point review in 2010 prompted an updated Global Plan to Stop TB (2011-2015) to reassess progress and refine targets.

Purpose:

• To review progress of TB control strategies and update global plans towards TB elimination.
• To define expected advancements in TB diagnosis, treatment, co-infection management (TB/HIV), and drug-resistant TB by 2015.
• To guide the development of a post-2015 strategy incorporating risk factors and socioeconomic determinants for TB elimination by 2050.

Summary:

• The Global Plan to Stop TB 2011-2015 updated targets for diagnosis, treatment, TB/HIV co-infection, and drug-resistant TB.
• It outlined expected achievements in new diagnostic tests, medications, vaccines, and shorter treatment regimens.
• The plan also highlighted the need to integrate risk factors like diabetes, malnutrition, and tobacco use into future elimination strategies.

Impact:

• Progress towards halting and reversing TB incidence, prevalence, and mortality rates.
• Advancements in TB diagnostics, therapeutics, and preventative measures, including for drug-resistant strains and TB/HIV co-infection.
• Laying the groundwork for a comprehensive post-2015 strategy focused on TB elimination by 2050, addressing broader determinants of health.