TY - JOUR AU - Dirlikov, Emilio AU - Thomas, Dana AU - Yost, David AU - Tejada-Vera, Betzaida AU - Bermudez, Maria AU - Joglar, Olga AU - Chorba, Terence T1 - Tuberculosis Surveillance and Control, Puerto Rico, 1898–2015 T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2019 VL - 25 IS - 3 SP - 538 SN - 1080-6059 AB - The World Health Organization recognizes Puerto Rico as an area of low tuberculosis (TB) incidence, where TB elimination is possible by 2035. To describe the current low incidence of reported cases, provide key lessons learned, and detect areas that may affect progress, we systematically reviewed the literature about the history of TB surveillance and control in Puerto Rico and supplemented this information with additional references and epidemiologic data. We reviewed 3 periods: 1898–1946 (public health efforts before the advent of TB chemotherapy); 1947–1992 (control and surveillance after the introduction of TB chemotherapy); and 1993–2015 (expanded TB control and surveillance). Although sustained surveillance, continued care, and use of newly developed strategies occurred concomitantly with decreased incidence of reported TB cases and mortality rates, factors that may affect progress remain poorly understood and include potential delayed diagnosis and underreporting, the effects of government debt and Hurricane Maria, and poverty. KW - Tuberculosis KW - TB KW - Puerto Rico KW - elimination KW - history KW - Caribbean KW - tuberculosis and other mycobacteria KW - bacteria KW - surveillance KW - United States DO - 10.3201/eid2503.181157 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/25/3/18-1157_article ER - End of Reference