Tuberculosis (TB) infections among children in the European region increased by 10% in 2023, highlighting ongoing transmission and the urgent need for public health measures to control its spread, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The WHO's European region, which includes 53 countries in Europe and Central Asia, reported over 7,500 cases among children under 15, an increase of more than 650 cases compared to 2022.
Hans Henri Kluge, WHO's Regional Director for Europe, noted that the concerning rise in TB cases among children underscores the fragile progress made against this preventable and treatable disease.
Askar Yedilbayev, regional TB advisor for WHO's European region, remarked that the increase in overall cases might reflect improved diagnosis. However, it may also stem from heightened cross-border movement due to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which are among the countries with the highest TB burden in the region.
Children under 15 years of age accounted for 4.3% of all TB cases in the European Union, according to a joint report by WHO and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. This marks the third consecutive year of rising cases in this age group, which Yedilbayev described as a "worrisome scenario."
WHO warned that funding cuts from global donors threaten to reverse progress in controlling TB infections in low- and middle-income countries. Such cuts could undermine TB programs in non-EU nations, potentially leading to an increase in hard-to-treat strains.
Yedilbayev highlighted that several local workforces have been adversely affected by these funding cuts, putting the supply of diagnostics and treatments at risk.
TB remains one of the top 10 causes of death globally; it is a potentially fatal bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs and spreads through coughing or sneezing.