(WXYZ) — In today’s Health Alert, Tuberculosis cases have hit record highs, with over 8 million people infected worldwide last year. The World Health Organization says this is the highest number they've tracked for the disease.
According to the 2024 Global Tuberculosis Report, around 1.25 million people worldwide died from tuberculosis (TB) last year. This is tough to see, especially since TB is a disease we can prevent, detect, and treat.
Now, what’s behind the rise? Well, there are five major risk factors, which are undernutrition, HIV infection, alcohol use disorders, smoking, and diabetes. Of those who developed TB, 55% were men, 33% were women, and 12% were children and teens.
TB can also spread easily, especially in crowded places. The disease is caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. When symptoms are present, a person has what’s called Active Tuberculosis and is contagious. They can spread it through coughing, sneezing, or even singing. There’s also Latent Tuberculosis. That means the bacteria is inactive but living inside the body. You don’t have any symptoms and are not contagious. But you could get sick in the future and need to take medicine to prevent this from happening.
s TB a concern in the US? And how do you know if you have the disease?
The U.S. has one of the lowest TB rates in the world, but it’s still a concern here. In 2022, there were just over 8,300 reported cases. And, it's estimated that up to 13 million people in the U.S. are living with latent TB infection.
Now, TB mainly affects the lungs but can also attack other areas like the kidneys, spine, and brain. If you have active TB, symptoms depend on where it’s growing. General symptoms include chills, fever, night sweats, weight loss, loss of appetite, and fatigue. If TB is in the lungs, symptoms might include a cough lasting more than three weeks, coughing up blood or thick mucus, and chest pain.
If you think you might have TB, talk to your doctor as there is a skin test or a blood test. If treatment is needed, there are specific antibiotics that can be prescribed. It is worth mentioning that drug-resistant TB is still a challenge, especially for people with weakened immune systems.
But there is good news in the report - TB deaths are continuing to decline globally, and new infections are starting to level off. While there is a lot to be done, I’m optimistic that increased awareness can help with diagnoses and save more lives.
