Yes, I'm referring to the uptick in TB in this country that started in the mid-1980's. I'm calling that an epidemic. Most epidemiologists would call it the U.S. TB epidemic of 1985 to 1992. I was wrong to cite 1980 as the beginning of the epidemic. It was 1985. You are correct in that the epidemic was aggressively countered in this country.

My point is that since the 1920's to 1985, the incidence of TB in the U.S. was declining steadily. Then it increased sharply until 1992. That would satisfy most definitions of an epidemic.

So, is the epidemic over in the U.S.? The definition of epidemic being an increase in expected infections for a community or region would indicate that it is over. But remember that in 1985 the CDC had a goal of completely eliminating TB by the year 2000. We still have 14k new cases per year. And worldwide the increase of TB and XDR-TB incidence is considered an epidemic. 1.6 million people die worldwide from TB. Not insignificant. Back in 1993 the WHO declared TB a global emergency. To my knowledge they haven't rescinded that clarion call.