Tuberculosis is the single leading cause of death from any single infectious agent. A world congress on tuberculosis was held to highlight the problem and to discuss recent scientific advances and global strategies for prevention and control. About one-third of the world population is latently infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Over 8 million new cases and nearly 3 million deaths occur each year. The situation is deteriorating due, in part, to the human immunodeficiency virus pandemic and shifts in the age distribution of the population. Resistance to antituberculosis drugs has also emerged as an important obstacle to control. Tuberculosis control programs in many developing and some industrialized countries have inadequate resources to combat the problem. Despite these trends, successful strategies and programs have been developed that, if implemented, would likely significantly reduce morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, recent research findings suggest that technologic advances will soon lead to improved methods for prevention and control.