11 Facts About Tuberculosis

1. Tuberculosis (TB)  is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but can attack any part of the body.
2. TB is spread through the air from one person to another. The bacteria are put into the air when a person with TB of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, speaks, or sings.
3. TB cannot be spread by kissing, shaking hands, or sharing food, drinks, or toothbrushes.
4. In 2011, 8.7 million people became ill with Tuberculosis.
5. TB was the cause of 1.4 million deaths worldwide in 2011. 430,000 of those were HIV-infected individuals.
6. The death rate of TB has dropped 41 percent since 1990.
7. One third of the world’s population is infected with TB, but the disease is both preventable and curable.
8. There are roughly 10 million children orphaned due to adult TB mortality.
9. TB occurs in every part of the world. Nearly 60 percent of new TB cases occurred in Asia in 2011, but the greatest rate of new cases per capita was in sub-Saharan Africa.
10. Since 1995, roughly 51 million TB patients have been successfully treated worldwide.
11. It is possible to be infected with TB without experiencing symptoms or sickness, because it stays dormant. Many patients are unaware they are infected because their bodies are fighting it off.

Inform your classmates about TB with an awareness campaign. GO

Sources: CDC, Who, CDC Stats