Infect Chemother.  2019 Dec;51(4):414-426. 10.3947/ic.2019.51.4.414.

Modern History of Tuberculosis in Korea

• Song JH
• Huh K
• Chung DR

• KMID: 2466475
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3947/ic.2019.51.4.414

Abstract

Tuberculosis has been a major public health threat in modern Korea. A few reports from the mid-1940s have demonstrated a high prevalence of latent and active tuberculosis infections. The high disease burden urged the newly established government to place a high priority on tuberculosis control. The government led a nationwide effort to control tuberculosis by building dedicated hospitals, conducting mass screening, providing technical and material support for microbiological diagnosis, administering Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccination, and improving appropriate antibiotic treatment through public health centers. Such concerted efforts resulted in a gradual decrease in the disease burden of tuberculosis, as demonstrated by National Tuberculosis Prevalence Surveys and notifiable disease statistics. While great progress has been made, new challenges - including an aging population, outbreaks in schools and healthcare facilities, and migration from high-prevalence countries - lie ahead. Here, we review the modern history of tuberculosis in Korea, focusing on epidemiology and public health policies.

Keyword

Tuberculosis; History; Epidemiology; Control; Public health

MeSH Terms

Aging
Bacillus
Delivery of Health Care
Diagnosis
Disease Outbreaks
Epidemiology
History, Modern 1601-*
Humans
Korea*
Mass Screening
Prevalence
Public Health
Tuberculosis*
Vaccination

Figure

• 

  Figure 1 Age-standardized distribution of the proportion of tuberculosis patients reported by year (relative to the population in 2005). Source: Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2016 Annual Report on Notified Tuberculosis in Korea.

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  Figure 2 Distribution of new tuberculosis patients by sex/age. Source: Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2016 Annual Report on Notified Tuberculosis in Korea.

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