According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), tuberculosis, also called TB, is one of the world’s leading causes of disease and death. More than one-third of the global population is infected with TB. About 9 million people each year become sick with TB and 2 million people die from the disease.

In the United States, cases of TB have declined for the past 12 years. There are an estimated 9 to 14 million people in the United States infected with TB. About 10 percent of these people will develop active TB disease in their lifetimes.

In 2004, 82 percent of all TB cases in the United States occurred in racial and ethnic minorities. There were more cases of TB among Latinos than any other ethnic group. Latinos accounted for 29 percent of TB cases. African Americans accounted for 28 percent. Asian Americans accounted for 23 percent. Whites accounted for 18 percent.

In 2004, foreign-born people were nearly 9 times more likely to have TB than people born in the United States. Foreign-born people accounted for more than half of all TB cases. 95 percent of Asians with TB in the United States were foreign-born. 74 percent of Latinos with TB in the United States were foreign-born.

TB is a disease caused by germs called bacteria that most often affect the lungs. A person can be infected with TB when he/she breathes in the germs. A skin test will find out whether a person is infected with TB. Other tests can show if a person has TB disease. Medicines are used to treat and cure TB. It is very important to take the full course of medicine to cure the disease.