Tuberculosis alarm in Europe: “Cases among children increased by 10 percent”
Tuberculosis is once again a cause for concern in Europe. The 2025 report by the ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control) and the WHO Regional Office for Europe, published on World TB Day, highlights that in 2023, “children under 15 years old accounted for 4.3% of new and relapsing tuberculosis cases in the WHO European region,” indicating “a worrying 10% increase in pediatric TB compared to the previous year. Similarly, children under 15 accounted for 4.3% of all TB cases in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA), marking an increase for the third consecutive year.”
This rise in tuberculosis among children indicates that “TB transmission in the European region is still ongoing, and immediate public health measures are needed to control and reduce the growing burden” of the infection, warn the ECDC and WHO Europe.
“The results,” they add, “also highlight the increasing burden of the disease among younger populations, as overall TB notifications continue to rise, with over 650 additional cases among children reported between 2022 and 2023.” For health authorities, “one of the main concerns is that for 1 in 5 children with TB in the EU/EEA, it is unknown whether the treatment was completed. This uncertainty can lead to a worsening situation,” with “the emergence of drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) and its further transmission.”
