World TB Day 2022

Posted on March 24, 2022

Each year, we recognize World TB Day on March 24. This annual event commemorates the date in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch announced his discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacillus that causes tuberculosis (TB).

World TB Day is a day to educate the public about the impact of TB around the world.  CDC, along with our partners and colleagues around the world share successes in TB prevention and control and raise awareness of the challenges that hinder our progress toward the elimination of this devastating disease.

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-quarter of the world's population has a TB infection, which means people have been infected by TB bacteria but are not (yet) ill with the disease and cannot transmit it.

People infected with TB bacteria have a 5–10% lifetime risk of falling ill with TB. Those with compromised immune systems, such as people living with HIV, malnutrition or diabetes, or people who use tobacco, have a higher risk of falling ill.

Click here to read more: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tuberculosis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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