Emerging treatment trends in pediatric TB

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology
• Global Health Policy

Background:

• The World Health Organization's (WHO) End TB Strategy and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) both target the global elimination of tuberculosis (TB).
• The End TB Strategy (2016-2035) includes ambitious targets: a 90% reduction in TB deaths and an 80% decrease in TB incidence by 2030, compared to 2015 levels.
• Current global progress shows TB incidence and mortality declining at approximately 2% and 3% annually, respectively, which is insufficient to meet the 2020 milestones.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the urgency of accelerating TB decline rates to meet the End TB Strategy's 2020 milestones.
• To identify and discuss emerging treatment trends for tuberculosis in children as a means to achieve these targets.
• To underscore the alignment between global health security initiatives and the fight against the TB epidemic.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of global TB incidence and mortality trends.
• Review of progress towards End TB Strategy targets.
• Identification of emerging pediatric TB treatment strategies.

Main Results:

• Global TB incidence and mortality are decreasing, but at a rate slower than required.
• To meet the 2020 milestones, annual reductions in TB incidence need to increase to 4-5% and mortality to 10%.
• Newer treatment modalities are being developed specifically for pediatric tuberculosis.

Conclusions:

• Accelerated efforts are crucial to achieve the ambitious goals set by the End TB Strategy and UN SDGs.
• The development and implementation of innovative pediatric TB treatments are vital for reducing the global burden of the disease.
• Faster progress in reducing TB incidence and mortality is essential for global health security and achieving the 2020 targets.