PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- Sunday, March 24, marked World Tuberculosis Day (TB) under the theme, “Yes! We can end TB!”
10.6 million people fell ill with TB in 2022, and 1.3 million people died of TB in that same year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (Ministry VSA) Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department within the ministry, says World TB Day is commemorated annually to raise public awareness about the consequences of TB for those who suffer from this preventable and curable disease and is part of CPSs annual calendar on health matters.
TB is caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) that most often affect the lungs. Tuberculosis is curable and preventable. TB mostly affects adults; however, all age groups are at risk.
TB is spread from person to person through the air. When people with lung TB cough, sneeze, or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air. A person needs to inhale only a few of these germs to become infected.
About one-third of the world's population has latent TB, which means TB bacteria have infected people but are not (yet) ill with the disease and cannot transmit the disease.
People infected with TB bacteria have a 10% lifetime risk of falling ill with TB. However, persons with compromised immune systems, such as people living with HIV, malnutrition, or diabetes, or people who use tobacco, have a much higher risk of falling ill.
When a person develops active TB disease, the symptoms (such as cough, fever, night sweats, or weight loss) may be mild for many months. This can lead to delays in seeking care and results in transmission of the bacteria to others.