KCDC "Tuberculosis Epidemiological Investigation Adds 190 Hidden Patients and Enables Early Detection"

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced on the 25th that, as a result of conducting epidemiological investigations on family members and contacts in group facilities of tuberculosis patients who occurred last year, an additional 190 tuberculosis patients were detected early.

The KDCA is conducting epidemiological investigations to promptly identify hidden tuberculosis patients around reported tuberculosis cases, quickly block community transmission, and prevent the development of tuberculosis by treating latent tuberculosis infections. Since 2015, all costs related to testing and treatment have been fully covered by the government.

Epidemiological Investigation Status of Tuberculosis in the Last 5 Years. [Data provided by Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency]

The KDCA first conducted tuberculosis tests on 22,297 family contacts and discovered an additional 101 tuberculosis patients. A total of 4,362 people were diagnosed with latent tuberculosis infection. The latent tuberculosis infection rate was 25.0%, which is lower than the previous year (27.3%).

In addition, 3,416 epidemiological investigations were conducted in group facilities such as schools and workplaces, and 89 additional tuberculosis patients were found. By facility, the numbers were 46 in social welfare facilities, 22 in medical institutions, and 19 in workplaces, in that order. Furthermore, latent tuberculosis infection tests were conducted on 40,631 contacts, of which 7,640 tested positive. The number of latent tuberculosis infections confirmed through this epidemiological investigation is 7,640. Among them, 6,867 are eligible for treatment, and 3,438 (50.1%) have started treatment.

The KDCA is implementing the '3rd Tuberculosis Control Comprehensive Plan' with the goal of reducing the tuberculosis incidence rate (cases per 100,000 population) from the current 40 to half or less, below 20, by 2027. Ji Young-mi, head of the KDCA, said, "Tuberculosis still threatens us around us," and added, "When a tuberculosis patient occurs, epidemiological investigations of contacts such as family members are an important means to early detect and treat tuberculosis patients and latent tuberculosis infections. Therefore, active participation and continuous cooperation from medical institutions and the community are necessary."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.