HWN Suggests

Why is the world losing the fight against history's most lethal disease?

TB is a disease of the vulnerable, which may be why so little has been done to modernise the fight against it. It spreads most easily in conditions of poverty, with people crowded together in poorly ventilated places. It is symptomatic of a failure to ensure everyone has access to healthcare and is free from poverty and poor hygiene. These are society’s failures, but the stigma often falls on individuals. Society tends to shun TB patients and the medical establishment subordinates their individuality to the demands of fighting the disease. Moreover, the costs of treatment can be catastrophic, driving families further into poverty. It is time to step up the effort. That requires better-targeted…

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Resources

StatPearls

Active tuberculosis is a condition in which Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes infection; typically in the lungs, although many systems can be involved. The World Health Organization estimates that, annually, around 8 million people develop active tuberculosis globally, and nearly 2 million people die from the disease. Of every 10 people infected with M. tuberculosis, one may develop an active infection sometime in their lifetime. After infection, the risk of developing active tuberculosis is highest in the first year, but the active disease usually occurs many years later in most patients