Deaths due to tuberculosis in the U.S. 1960-2021

In 2021, there were 602 reported deaths due to tuberculosis, a significant decrease from 5,217 deaths in 1970. This statistic depicts the number of deaths due to tuberculosis in the United States from 1960 to 2021.

Tuberculosis Disease

Of all infectious diseases, tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the most deadly worldwide. TB is a contagious lung disease caused by bacteria and passed through the air from an infected person to others. It often remains dormant for a few years before presenting as an active case in about five percent of latent cases. Common symptoms include coughing, including coughing up blood, and unexplained weight loss as the infection begins to spread throughout the body. Without antibiotic treatment, about one third of those with an active infection will die within two years and another third within five years.

At-risk Populations

Although the death rate for TB in the United States and other developed countries has remained relatively low over the past thirty years, other countries are more heavily burdened by this disease. In 2019, India had the highest rate of tuberculosis and the Central African Republic had the highest mean TB death rate. Those with pre-existing health conditions, such as HIV, also have a higher mortality rate from TB, especially in high-burden countries such as Lesotho.