With 1.4 million deaths in 2011 and 8.7 million new cases, tuberculosis (TB) disease remains a global scourge. Global targets for reductions in the epidemiological burden of TB have been set for 2015 and 2050 within the context of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and by the Stop TB Partnership. Achieving these targets is the focus of national and international efforts in TB control, and demonstrating whether or not they are achieved is of major importance to guide future and sustainable investments.This paper discusses the methods used to estimate the global burden of TB; estimates of incidence, prevalence, and mortality for 2011, combined with assessment of progress toward the 2015 targets for reductions in these indicators based on trends since 1990 and projections up to 2015; trends in TB notifications and in the implementation of the Stop TB Strategy; and prospects for elimination of TB by 2050.
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