Uniting Together to End Tuberculosis

Today, on World Tuberculosis Day, we want to take a moment to talk about this potentially deadly disease that affects more than one third of the world’s population.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) bacillus was first identified in 1882, a discovery for which Dr. Robert Koch later received a Nobel Prize. Although TB is now preventable and treatable, it is still one of the top-10 deadliest diseases.

TB is typically diagnosed with a skin test, although a positive skin test does not reveal which type of TB the person has. There are two types of Tuberculosis: latent TB infection (LTBI) and TB disease. LTBI is the non-contagious, asymptomatic form of Tuberculosis that, if left untreated, can develop into TB disease. TB disease is the contagious form, and is spread in the air from an infected person via coughing, speaking, or singing. TB disease also has numerous symptoms, such as a cough that persists longer than three weeks, coughing up blood or sputum, and chest pain. TB disease is curable and treatable, although drug-resistant strands have started popping up, making treatment more difficult.

TB disease is only infectious when the bacterium is found in the throat or lungs. When an uninfected person breathes in the bacteria, it gets absorbed into the lungs and can metastasize into other parts of the body, such as the kidneys, brain, and spine.

Although tuberculosis mainly affects adults, all age groups are at risk, with certain subsets determined as higher risk. For example, people who are infected with HIV are 20 to 30 times more likely to develop active TB and people with other conditions that weaken the immune system are also at higher risk of developing active TB.

Due in part to the development of new anti-TB drugs in the 1950s, there was a significant drop in cases and mortality rates until the disease became so prevalent again that in 1993 the World Health Organization declared TB a global health emergency.

TB Statistics:

• In 2015, 10.4 million people fell ill with TB and 1.8 million died from the disease (including 0.4 million people with HIV)

  • Six countries account for 60% of the total, with India leading the count, followed by Indonesia, China, Nigeria, Pakistan and South Africa

• In 2015, an estimated one million children became ill with TB and 170 000 children died of TB (excluding children with HIV)

• TB is a leading killer of HIV-positive people: in 2015, 35% of HIV deaths were due to TB

• In 2015, an estimated 480 000 people developed multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB)

• TB incidence has fallen by an average of 1.5% per year since 2000

• From 2000 to 2015, an estimated 49 million lives were saved through TB diagnosis and treatment

It’s important to remember that TB is treatable and curable. Active, drug-susceptible TB disease can be treated with a six-month course of medication. In fact, most cases of TB can be cured when medication is available and taken properly.

Today, on World TB Day, and every day that follows, let’s all stand behind the 2017 campaign slogan to Leave No One Behind and Unite Together to End TB.