“TB is an increasing threat because of gaps in the way the disease is diagnosed and treated. This partnership will help cut off drug resistance at its source,” Gates said.

 

The money will help China develop new diagnostic tests, drug regimens, patient monitoring strategies, and health delivery approaches, said Chinese Health Minister Chen Zhu.

 

Tuberculosis is a disease that primarily affects the lungs. It is transmitted easily when people live in very close proximity to one another, and is widespread in developing countries. Most people who contract TB do not develop full-blown symptoms. Some 90 percent of people who have been exposed to the pathogen experience what is known as a latent infection. However, one in 10 of these latent infections progress to the active form of the disease, and people who are not treated have only a 50 percent chance of survival.

 

China has the second highest number of tuberculosis cases in the world after India. According to the World Health Organization, there were 1.3 million new TB cases including 112,000 new multi drug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases in 2007. A quarter of the world’s drug-resistant cases are registered here. Annually, more than 200,000 patients lose the fight against tuberculosis in China. The goal of the project is to treat 50,000 tuberculosis patients annually. Worldwide, the number of deaths caused by tuberculosis reaches about 2 million.

 

“China is taking the threat of TB very seriously, and we're excited to support its efforts,” Gates said.