Tuberculosis (TB) is an airborne disease and globally, a leading cause of death. One fourth of the world’s population is infected with TB. There were 1.3 million TB-related deaths world-wide, and TB is the leading killer of people who are infected with HIV. In 2023, there were 130 individuals diagnosed with TB disease in Indiana, representing a 31% increase from 2022. Based on current data trends, it is forecasted that the number of cases in 2024 will exceed that in 2023. In order to meet the Healthy People 2030 goal of 1.4 cases per 100,000 population and the U.S. goal of TB elimination, added focus must be placed on testing high-risk populations and those populations experiencing health disparities along with providing treatment for latent TB infection (LTBI) for those populations at highest risk for progression to active TB disease.
The purpose of this application for continued funding under the Tuberculosis Elimination and Laboratory Cooperative Agreement CDC-RFA-PS-25-0003 is to assist with addressing the strategies and implementing the activities identified in this application. Funding for Prevention and Control (P&C) and for Laboratory Strengthening will allow for continued and new activities that be measured by evaluation of progress toward short-term and intermediate outcomes outlined in the funding announcement. Progress toward these short-term and intermediate outcomes will lead to a decreased TB incidence overall and among those populations at higher risk and those disproportionately affected by TB disease and TB infection
The program is committed to progressing toward the national targets set forth in the National TB Indicators Project and strive to develop evaluation strategies to address those indicators not being met. In addition, the program is committed to identifying, screening, testing, and treating those individuals at high risk for exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, those at high risk for progression to active TB disease if exposed, and those populations experiencing health disparities and disproportionately affected by TB disease and latent TB infection (LTBI).