69: Effects of COVID-19 on Tuberculosis Prevention, Detection, and Treatment

Public Health Review

COVID-19 has impacted the ways in which we prevent, detect, and treat tuberculosis (TB) infections. The pandemic presented challenges to public health and healthcare systems which may have caused delayed diagnoses, and increased new infections, however some COVID-19 mitigation measures may have positively impacted TB disease burden.

What do the data tell us? What can public health do to improve TB prevention and treatment efforts?

In this episode, Dr. José Romero (SHO-AR) and Dr. Philip LoBue (Director of the Division of Tuberculosis Elimination at CDC) discuss the current state of TB, and the challenges and areas of opportunity posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. LoBue also shares information about the latest CDC TB Campaign: Think. Test. Treat TB, which aims to raise awareness for TB among patients, providers, and partners.

• MMWR: Tuberculosis — United States, 2021
• CDC Webpage: Tuberculosis Data and Statistics
• CDC Communications Campaign: Think. Test. Treat TB