CDC reports sharp decline in TB diagnoses during pandemic

Reported tuberculosis diagnoses fell 20% in 2020 and 13% in 2021, compared with annual declines before the pandemic of just 1%-2%, according to preliminary data released yesterday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency said the sharp drop may be related to factors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, including a true reduction in incidence as well as delayed or missed diagnoses. 
  
“A delayed or missed TB diagnosis leads to TB disease progression and can result in hospitalization or death — and the risk of transmitting TB to others,” said Philip LoBue, M.D., director of CDC’s Division of Tuberculosis Elimination. “The nation must ensure that healthcare providers understand how to diagnose and distinguish TB disease from potential cases of COVID-19.”