[Tuberculosis continues to be a concern]

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) has not been eliminated from none of the world's regions up to now. Trends of TB endemic were constantly favorable in Romania in the recent years: number of new cases and relapses decreased with 13 235, incidence rate with 42%, incidence rate in children with 51% and mortality rate with 44%, from 2002 to 2011. The highest TB risk is being observed in men living in rural area and in those of 45-54 age group. The counties with the highest TB incidence rates are those in the South-West part of the country. The favorable trend of TB endemic in Romania has been achieved through a constant case detection rate over 70% and a treatment success rate over 80% in the recent years. The current major concerns in TB control in the country, as well as all over the world, are TB-HIV co-infection and micobacterial drug-resistance. Also, a negative aspect of TB endemic in Romania is that a number of severe forms of TB, TB-HIV, MDR-TB or deaths are still reported in children under 15 years old, each year. The response of health system to the TB problem consists in the development of the National TB Programme, which achieved many successes in the recent years, but in the same time is confronted with many challenges. However, the programatic control of the disease can be obtained by health services only in partnership with other services, institutions and organizations, which may offer economic and social support to the patients and their families.