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INTRODUCTION

Tuberculosis (TB), a disease that is spread from person to person through the air, is one of the most common infections in the world. Globally, one third of the population is infected, and about eight million people develop TB disease every year. Approximately three million people die of TB-related illnesses yearly, making it the leading infectious killer of young adults; about half of these deaths occur in HIV-infected persons. In the United States, over 18,000 cases of TB occur annually.

In the 1970s and early 1980s, our nation let down its guard, and TB came back with a vengeance. The country had become complacent about TB, and many states and cities redirected TB prevention and control funds to other programs. Consequently, the trend toward elimination was reversed, and the nation experienced a resurgence of TB with a 20 percent increase in TB cases, many of them drug resistant, reported between 1985 and 1992.

The nation's mobilization of additional resources in the 1990s has paid off: 1998 represented the sixth consecutive year of decline in reported TB cases. This recent recovery has put us back on track toward TB elimination, although concerns remain about multidrug-resistant TB, which has been reported in 45 states, and about the increasing proportion of cases in foreign-born persons. In addition, persons living with HIV are at extremely high risk for getting sick with TB once infected with the bacteria: approximately 10 to 15 percent of TB cases nationwide are reported in persons living with HIV.

To help the nation eliminate TB, this resource guide was developed as a cooperative effort between the CDC National Prevention Information Network (NPIN) and the CDC Division of Tuberculosis Elimination to give health departments, lung associations, and other providers of healthcare and health education knowledge of and access to available materials on TB education, training, and public awareness.

Much of the information provided in this guide is drawn from NPIN databases, which staff update regularly. Visit the NPIN Web site at http://www.cdcnpin.org to conduct a database search for the most current information. To request a customized database search, to order a free list of materials, or to ask specific questions about TB resources and services, contact NPIN at 800-458-5231 (800-243-7012 TTY).

Disclaimer: This information is made available as a public service. Neither the CDC nor the NPIN endorse the organizations and materials represented. It is the responsibility of the user to evaluate this information prior to use based on individual needs and community standards.

WHAT IS NPIN?

The CDC National Prevention Information Network (NPIN) is the U.S. reference, referral, and distribution service for information on HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and tuberculosis (TB), sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). NPIN services are designed to facilitate the sharing of information and resources among people working in HIV, STD, and TB prevention, treatment, and support services. In addition to developing the TB Resource Guide, NPIN offers a variety of other services described below.

Comprehensive Reference and Referral Services staffed with English- and Spanish-speaking health information specialists can link you to information and educational materials, refer you to organizations, and help you find information about funding and other topics. Specialists take calls Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST. All calls are completely confidential.

Online Databases link you to information and services related to HIV/AIDS, STDs, and TB. NPIN databases, accessible through the NPIN Web site, include an Educational Materials Database, Resources and Services Database, Funding Database, Conference Abstract Database, and the CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update Database.

Publication Distribution Services provide fact sheets, guidelines, and reports on HIV/AIDS, STDs, and TB. Many materials are available in Spanish. Selected materials are also available through NPIN FAX, a fax-on-demand service that you can access through NPIN's toll-free number.

Resource and Training Centers provide professional research services and maintain NPIN's extensive collection of education materials, journals, and newsletters on HIV/AIDS, STDs, and TB. Onsite technical assistance and training for NPIN Web site and Internet searching is also available for individuals or small groups by appointment.

Internet Services include a Web site that offers searchable databases, full-text publications, and links to related sites; a listserv that sends subscribers abstracts of articles from scientific journals and the lay press; and an FTP library that allows you to download fact sheets, articles, and resource guides on HIV/AIDS, STDs, and TB.

Business and Labor Resource Service, staffed by health information specialists, helps businesses and labor unions develop workplace policies and employee education programs on HIV and AIDS. Links to other workplace sites and information on manager's and labor leader's kits are available through the Business Responds to AIDS and Labor Responds to AIDS Web site.

To Contact NPIN

Call 800-458-5231 (800-243-7012 TTY) or visit our Web site at http://www.cdcnpin.org.