Tuberculosis attacks weakened immune systems, kills thousands

Tuberculosis is a disease that can lie in wait for years before it launches its full-scale attack.  

A person with an active case of TB can pass it to other individuals. Family members and co-workers face extra risk. People can catch the bacteria causing the disease by breathing in just a few drops of an infected person’s sneeze or cough.   Usually, a person in good health will only have latent TB, meaning they experience no symptoms and aren’t contagious.   Symptoms of TB include coughing up blood, difficulty breathing, chest pain and fatigue.  

The infection waits in the lungs until the immune system is weak. Once the disease becomes active, it can spread to others.   The World Health Organization reports that a person with active TB spreads it to an average of 15 people. Global Health Reporting estimates that more than 8 million people develop active TB annually, and 2 million people die from the disease.

Coupled with HIV or AIDS

The threat of active infection is most dangerous to people with conditions that weaken their immune systems. For example, people with leukemia or even substance abuse are more at risk.   Globally, TB has heavily attacked people with HIV or AIDS.   WHO reports that Africa, with its AIDS epidemic, has the highest per capita TB mortality rate.   The number of deaths reached 78 people per 100,000 in 2003 from TB.

Treatment is available

The good news for people with TB is that effective treatments exist to stave off infection and ease symptoms.   People with latent TB can even take medication to avoid developing active TB.  

However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and WHO both warn that patients must complete their treatment plans.   Otherwise, the TB might stay active in their bodies, and the remaining bacteria could become drug-resistant. This bacteria could then spread to other people, making the infection more difficult and more expensive to treat.