Nearly 25% More Children Contract TB Worldwide Than Previously Thought, Research Shows

News outlets discuss a study published in the Lancet Global Health that estimates the burden of childhood tuberculosis (TB) is higher than previously thought.

Agence France-Presse: Child TB problem far greater than thought
“Twenty-five percent more children are falling ill with TB than the U.N. had thought, with more than 650,000 hit by the disease each year in the 22 worst affected countries, specialists said Wednesday…” (7/8).

BBC News: TB rates in children ‘much higher than WHO estimates’
“More than 650,000 children worldwide develop tuberculosis each year, research in the journal Lancet Global Health suggests. The figure stands almost 25 percent higher than current predictions made by the World Health Organization…” (Mundasad, 7/8).

Livemint: Childhood TB cases higher than WHO estimate; India has highest burden: study
“Almost 25 percent more children fall sick with tuberculosis (TB) every year than the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that most anti-TB programs worldwide rely on, according to a new research report published in the Lancet Global Health…” (Unnikrishnan, 7/9).

VOA News: Study: Childhood TB Rates Much Higher than Estimated
“…The research also presents the first-ever estimate of new TB infections among children: nearly eight million in 2010. It’s a huge burden but an enormous opportunity to prevent future illnesses, the authors say, because low-cost treatment can stop infection from becoming disease…” (Baragona, 7/8).

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