The burden of tuberculosis among adolescents and young adults in five Asian countries from 1990 to 2019

Background: Previous studies have shown that the risk of tuberculosis (TB) increases dramatically during adolescence. However, the burdens and trends of tuberculosis (TB) are poorly understood among them, especially in high-prevalence countries. Methods: Based on the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019, we analyzed the incidence and mortality of TB among young people globally and in five Asian countries from 1990 to 2019. The annual percentage change was calculated by joinpoint regression analysis to estimate the trends in the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and age-standardized death rate (ASDR). Results: The highest ASIR per 100,000 person-years in 2019 was in Mongolia [74 (95% uncertainty interval (UI), 51 to 105)], while the lowest was in Japan [4 (95% UI, 2 to 6)]. The highest ASDR per 100,000 person-years was in Mongolia [2 (95% UI, 1 to 3)], while the lowest was in Japan [0.009 (95% UI, 0.008 to 0.010)]. As the absolute number of cases and deaths decreased from 1990 to 2019, the ASIRs and ASDRs in all five countries also decreased. The decreasing trends were particularly significant in developed regions and varied across geographic regions. Conclusions: This study may be crucial in helping policymakers make decisions and allocate appropriate resources toadolescent TB control strategies.