About the DZK - Our commitment in the fight against tuberculosis
The German Central Committee against Tuberculosis (DZK) has been a key player in the fight against tuberculosis for over 100 years. We are committed to fighting the disease and supporting those affected through research, networking, teaching, advice and public relations work.
DZK Team & Presidium
Tasks of the DZK
Recognizing, treating and preventing tuberculosis.
The DZK is committed to combating tuberculosis with a wide range of tasks. In the areas of networking, research, teaching, counseling and public relations, it works to effectively combat the disease, impart knowledge and support those affected.
Strong network for effective tuberculosis control
The DZK networks national and international organizations, clinics, research institutions and experts in order to promote exchange and cooperation. This comprehensive network makes it possible to pool knowledge and resources and develop joint strategies to combat tuberculosis. One major success is the creation of interdisciplinary platforms that enable effective coordination of prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
Knowledge for better care
We produce guidelines and recommendations on various aspects of tuberculosis care on behalf of the German Society for Pneumology and Respiratory Medicine.
Care research is used to analyze how guidelines, diagnostics and therapy are implemented in practice and where there are gaps in care. Through close networking between science, practice and health policy, we contribute to improving care - with the aim of providing those affected with the best possible treatment and thus contributing to the effective fight against tuberculosis.
Sound knowledge of tuberculosis in guidelines, research and practice
We are committed to providing up-to-date and well-founded information on all aspects of tuberculosis - both for professionals and laypeople. To this end, we use traditional media and publications, presentations at congresses and events, training courses, as well as podcasts, videos, apps and the FAQ section of our website.
Do you need more information about tuberculosis?
We advise lay people and specialists on all questions relating to tuberculosis via our information hotline or by e-mail. We are also the point of contact for politicians, the press and other organizations.
Since its foundation, the German Central Committee against Tuberculosis (DZK) has made decisive progress in the fight against tuberculosis. From the first preventive measures to modern treatment standards, the DZK has played a significant role in the fight against tuberculosis.
The history of the DZK has always been closely linked to political events and the incidence of tuberculosis and has been subject to the changing times. A detailed account can be found in the article and the book "125 years of the DZK".
After reunification, the DZK joined the German Society for Pneumology and Respiratory Medicine, on whose behalf guidelines and recommendations on various aspects of tuberculosis are drawn up. Stronger national and international networking and the expansion of healthcare research focus on tuberculosis as a now rare disease in Germany.
After the war, the DZK was re-established in the Federal Republic of Germany in 1949. Among other things, recommendations on the diagnosis and treatment of TB, BCG vaccination, serial X-ray examinations and the containment of bovine tuberculosis were drawn up and the annual tuberculosis statistics were published. With the decline of tuberculosis in Germany, the focus and composition of the DZK also changed.
During the Weimar Republic, in addition to the newly introduced obligation to report tuberculosis, there was an increased focus on social aspects such as housing assistance, disability and prevention through early detection. When the NSDAP came to power in 1933, the DZK was transformed into the Reich Tuberculosis Committee. In addition to increasing case numbers during the Second World War, tuberculosis was subject to an ideological paradigm shift, the reappraisal of which continues to this day.
First international tuberculosis congress by the DZK, from which the forerunner organization of the International Union Against Tuberculosis (IUATLD) emerged in 1902.
The DZK was founded in 1895 at a time when tuberculosis was one of the most common and deadliest infectious diseases in Germany. Its aims were to promote and coordinate the sanatorium movement and to support those affected and their families.