Trends in tuberculosis--United States, 1998-2003.

During 2003, a total of 14,871 tuberculosis (TB) cases (5.1 cases per 100,000 population) were reported in the United States, representing a 1.4% decrease in cases and a 1.9% decline in the rate from 2002. This decline is the smallest since 1992, when TB incidence peaked after a 7-year resurgence. In addition, the rate remains higher than the national interim goal of 3.5 cases per 100,000 population that was set for 2000. This report summarizes data from the national TB surveillance system for 2003 and describes trends during a 5-year period, with comparison to 1998 and 2002. Despite a decline in TB nationwide, rates have increased in certain states, and elevated TB rates continue to be reported in certain populations (e.g., foreign-born persons and racial/ethnic minorities). Targeted interventions for these at-risk populations, continued collaborative efforts toward the global fight against TB, and adequate local resources are essential to eliminating TB in the United States.