Alarming Rise in Tuberculosis Cases Among Children Across Europe and Central Asia

Medical News: A troubling health crisis is quietly unfolding across Europe and Central Asia as tuberculosis (TB) cases continue to surge, particularly among children. Once considered a disease of the past, TB is now reemerging as a formidable public health threat, reigniting global concern. According to a newly released report by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) Europe office, the number of TB infections among children under 15 rose by 9.6 percent in 2023 alone compared to the previous year.


Alarming Rise in Tuberculosis Cases Among Children Across Europe and Central Asia

This spike in pediatric TB cases highlights the enduring effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare systems, particularly in terms of disrupted screening and treatment services. In total, the report documented over 172,000 TB cases in the broader European region during 2023, including both new infections and relapses.
 
Although the overall number has remained relatively stable compared to 2022, the rate at which TB-related deaths are declining has slowed significantly. This Medical News report underscores that many infections likely went undetected or untreated during the height of the pandemic, and the repercussions are now becoming visible across vulnerable populations - especially children.
 
A Growing Threat to the Youngest and Most Vulnerable
Of the nearly 7,500 TB cases reported in children under the age of 15 across Europe and Central Asia in 2023, more than 2,400 were diagnosed in children under the age of five. This age group is particularly at risk for severe disease outcomes and mortality. The rise in infections among young children has alarmed public health officials who emphasize that TB remains a curable disease - yet one that continues to claim lives due to delays in diagnosis, inadequate treatment access, and global health funding challenges.
 
Dr Hans Kluge, Regional Director of WHO Europe, issued a stark warning in a statement accompanying the report: “The current TB burden and the worrying rise in children with TB serves as a reminder that progress against this preventable and curable disease remains fragile.” The report called for urgent and coordinated public health interventions to prevent a further resurgence, especially with more transmissible and drug-resistant strains becoming a growing concern.
 
Why TB Remains a Persistent Challenge
Tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a bacterium that primarily affects the lungs but can also spread to other organs. While most infected individuals do not develop active disease, those who do face serious complications if untreated. TB currently kills around 1.25 million people globally each year, making it the world’s deadliest infectious disease - even more than HIV or malaria.
 
TB also frequently overlaps with other health conditions that can exacerbate its severity. In Europe, around 15.4 percent of those diagnosed with TB in 2023 were also living with HIV, a co-infection that significantly weakens the immune system and complicates treatment outcomes. Treating TB requires a strict regimen of antibiotics taken daily for at least six months. Missing doses or stopping treatment early not only risks the patient’s health but also encourages the emergence of drug-resistant TB strains.
 
In the European region, first-line antibiotics were successful in about 75.5 percent of TB cases. However, among patients with multidrug-resistant TB, success rates dropped to just under 60 percent. These figures underscore the difficulty of treating resistant strains and the importance of early, uninterrupted treatment.
 
Children Are Falling Through the Cracks
The treatment challenges are even more acute for children. In the European Union and associated countries like Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein, authorities admitted they lacked data on whether at least one in five children with TB completed their full treatment regimen. This gap in follow-up care could lead to more relapses, more resistant strains, and further spread of the disease within communities.
 
Dr Pamela Rendi-Wagner, Director of the ECDC, echoed these concerns: “With the rise of drug-resistant TB, the cost of inaction today will be paid by us all tomorrow.” Her warning is particularly relevant in light of recent announcements by the WHO that global health funding for TB programs is being cut. These budget reductions are already having serious consequences in 27 high-burden countries, particularly across Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Western Pacific.
 
Europe and Central Asia Not Immune to Funding Cuts
Although many associate TB with low-income countries, the report made it clear that Europe and Central Asia are not immune to these financial pressures. Dr Kluge warned that the cuts could also hamper TB efforts in this region, allowing the disease to spread further and more silently, especially in the form of hard-to-treat drug-resistant strains.
 
In terms of case numbers, Russia reported the highest number of TB infections in 2023 within the region, followed by Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, and Romania. These countries now face the daunting task of scaling up TB detection and treatment efforts at a time when resources are shrinking and global attention is increasingly shifting elsewhere.
 
Conclusion
Tuberculosis is making a troubling comeback across Europe and Central Asia, with children now representing a growing share of those affected. This resurgence highlights the fragile progress made in recent decades and the immense damage that disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic can inflict on public health systems. The rise in drug-resistant strains, combined with a lack of adequate funding and treatment completion among vulnerable groups like children, paints a dire picture. If immediate and coordinated action is not taken, TB could once again become an uncontrollable global threat. Investing in early detection, ensuring treatment adherence, and maintaining international funding support are critical to halting this trend. Failure to act decisively now could set back decades of progress and cost countless more lives in the years to come.
 
The ECDC’s Tuberculosis surveillance and monitoring in Europe 2025 - 2023 data can be found here:
https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/tuberculosis-surveillance-and-monitoring-europe-2025-2023-data
 
https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/TB-2025-Surveillance-report.pdf
 
For the latest Tuberculosis News, keep on logging to Thailand Medical News.
 
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