"Epidemiology of tuberculosis”: a threat to global, national, and local public health

Abstract

The aim was to analyze the epidemiological scenario of tuberculosis at the global, national, and local levels, focusing on Brazil and the state of Rio de Janeiro. The methodology used was documentary research, through the analysis of secondary data extracted from official reports of the World Health Organization, the Notifiable Diseases Information System, and national and state epidemiological bulletins, with a time frame from 2022 to 2023. Globally, tuberculosis remains a serious public health issue, with 10.6 million cases and 1.3 million deaths in 2022. In Brazil, the disease presents a heterogeneous distribution, concentrating in the Southeast region and predominantly affecting economically active adult men of Black and mixed race. It was identified that the most vulnerable groups, such as people experiencing homelessness, those with HIV, or users of illicit substances, are disproportionately impacted. The discussion highlights the existence of robust public policies, such as the National Tuberculosis Control Program and Directly Observed Therapy, but also reveals persistent challenges, such as treatment abandonment and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. It concludes that, despite efforts, global disease control goals are still far off, making it imperative to strengthen intersectoral actions targeting the most vulnerable populations and to invest in research and innovation to interrupt the chain of transmission and reduce the burden of tuberculosis.