ISLAMABAD (APP) – Like other parts of the globe, World Tuberculosis (TB) Day was also observed in Pakistan on Sunday to raise awareness about the deadly disease.
According to health experts, tuberculosis is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis and it primarily affects the lungs. It is spread through the air when individuals with lung TB cough, sneeze, or spit. Inhalation of just a few germs is sufficient for infection.
Every year, 10 million people fall ill with tuberculosis. Despite being a preventable and curable disease, 1.5 million people die from TB annually, making it the world’s top infectious killer.
TB is the leading cause of death among people with HIV and is also a major contributor to antimicrobial resistance. While most individuals who fall ill with TB reside in low and middle-income countries, TB is present worldwide.
Approximately a quarter of the global population is estimated to have been infected with TB bacteria, but most individuals will not develop TB disease, and some will clear the infection. Those who are infected but not yet ill cannot transmit the disease.
Individuals infected with TB bacteria have a 5–10 percent lifetime risk of falling ill with TB. Those with compromised immune systems, such as people living with HIV, malnutrition, or diabetes, or individuals who use tobacco, have a higher risk of falling ill.