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Key messages - Drug-resistant tuberculosis

Data

  • TB is slowly declining but MDR and XDR TB pose a serious challenge in the attempt to eliminate TB across Europe, even though the number of reported MDR TB cases seem to decline slowly.

  • In EU, only 1 in every 3 MDR TB patients has a successful treatment outcome; more than half either die, fail treatment or default (stop taking treatment). XDR TB has even worse treatment outcomes: only 1 in 4 patients finishes treatment successfully.

  • By not diagnosing and not treating patients with MDR TB early and successfully, we put their live at risk and pave the way for XDR TB.

  • Only complete and successful tuberculosis treatment helps to prevent disease transmission and development of resistant strains.