Increase in tuberculosis cases in France?

Known since the 17th century, tuberculosis is still present today, although much less virulent. However, the number of tuberculosis cases in France might have increased in 2023.

Tuberculosis is an 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 caused by an airborne bacterium (𝑀𝑦𝑐𝑜𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑡𝑢𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑠 or 𝐊𝐨𝐜𝐡'𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐬). Symptoms vary according to the site of infection, which is 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐬 (70% of cases). However, it can also affect the kidneys, lymph nodes, and bones. The World Health Organization estimates that between 5% and 15% of healthy carriers will develop the disease during their lifetime.

Santé publique France recently published an 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧 indicating that the number of cases and in the reporting rate decreased during the COVID-19 year and the two following years (2020, 2021, and 2022). However, since 2023, the 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐮𝐩𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬, and is thought to be linked to a 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡-𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬 during the first year of the pandemic and the lockdowns.

However, vigilance is still required. Indeed, despite highly recommended vaccination and treatment, tuberculosis was the 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝'𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, until the arrival of COVID-19.