Over 1000 patients are estimated to fall sick with tuberculosis every day across Europe – or over 380 000 yearly – signalling that there is no room for complacency when it comes to TB prevention and control.

ECDC’s new Annual Epidemiological Report provides a comprehensive review of more than 50 communicable diseases currently notifiable under EU legislation.

A joint mission of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe) to Romania has recommended immediate resumption of BCG (Bacille Calmette–Guérin) vaccination against tuberculosis in infants in the country.

While many European countries are progressing towards TB elimination, the target of less than 1 TB case/1,000,000 population is still far from being achieved everywhere.

ECDC and the European Respiratory Society (ERS) have developed 21 patient-centred standards that aim to guide clinicians and public health workers in their daily work to ensure optimal diagnosis, treatment and prevention of tuberculosis (TB) in Europe.

In a hearing at the European Parliament in Brussels, ECDC Director Marc Sprenger underlined the importance of sufficient resources at national level to diagnose and adequately treat tuberculosis.   

Tuberculosis on the retreat in Europe but concerns about drug-resistant TB and treatment failure remain.