Tuberculosis has caused numerous health scares over the years, sometimes to the point where people were confined to quarantine centers in an attempt to control the disease. It is often considered to be a disease that attacks the lungs, but it can actually attack any part of the body when an infection is present. It is caused by a bacteria and the prevalence of it will probably shock you. Here are some interesting facts about this entirely preventable disease.
1. You Breathe It In
Tuberculosis spreads through the air from an infected person to a non-infected person. Whenever someone with this disease coughs, sneezes, or even sings, they are putting potentially millions of bacteria into the air. Others will then breathe in these bacteria and potentially develop an active infection.
About 8 million people annually become infected by tuberculosis. In 2011, it also caused the deaths of over 1.4 million. About 30% of the people who die from this disease every year also have a secondary infection of HIV or AIDS. Since 1990, however, the death rates for TB have dropped by over 40% around the world.
2. It’s Fine to Kiss
Incredibly enough, you can’t actually spread tuberculosis by kissing. It isn’t a touch-based infection. You can even share a drink, someone’s food, or their toothbrush if you want and you won’t be able to pick up an infection. It is even possible to shake hands and not catch the disease, though if an infected person were coughing into their hand and you were to shake it and immediately put it into your mouth for some reason, it could be possible to start an active infection in that way.
3. TB Stays Dormant
Many people who have become infected with tuberculosis don’t even realize that they have an active infection. It is common for people to not experience any sickness or even any symptoms as their bodies work on fighting off the disease. The body’s natural disease fighting agents, combined with successful medical treatments, have helped to eliminate TB infections in an estimated 51 million people since 1995.
It isn’t all good news. Because of tuberculosis, there are about 10 million children in the world today who don’t have their parents because of an adult tuberculosis infection that killed them.
4. It’s Often a Disease of Poverty
A vast majority of the tuberculosis infections that occur today happen in the developing world. It most commonly strikes adults who are in the midst of their most productive years from a vocational sense. TB tends to take a hold in body systems that are malnourished and too poor to be able to access fresh water supplies or medical care. This is why the mortality rate is so high with these disease, even those a cure exists for it.
5. It Is Growing
Because of the population growth in Africa, where TB is very common, the global tuberculosis infection rate continues to increase by a 1% annual rate. 2 billion people in the world today have the microbes that can cause TB, but only 10% of those with the microbes will develop an active infection. With regular treatments, tuberculosis doesn’t have to be a concern. That’s why medication needs to become readily available to the population centers that are most at-risk today.