Urban tuberculosis: The new face of an old problem

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) persists as a worldwide health crisis. Nearly one third of the world's population is infected with TB and it remains a critical public health issue. In the past two decades, international efforts have focused on improving identification of those infected with TB as well as supporting molecular microbiologists in developing better diagnostic techniques. Furthermore, implementation of programs such as directly observed therapy have assisted more patients in receiving and completing therapy. This review aims to identify some of the more relevant findings in the field of TB over the past few years with a special emphasis on TB in urban communities.