KOMPAS.com – tuberculosis (TBC) is a contagious infection that usually affects your lungs.
The disease can also spread to other parts of your body, such as the brain and spine.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2020, about 1.5 million people died from tuberculosis.
WHO data also positions tuberculosis at number 13 as the leading cause of death in the world.
Also read: 5 Important Ways to Prevent Liver Cancer
What causes TB disease?
This disease is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB bacteria are transmitted through infected droplets in the air.
Once these droplets enter the air, anyone nearby can inhale them. A person with TB can transmit the bacteria through:
People with a properly functioning immune system may not experience symptoms of TB, even if they have contracted the bacteria.
This condition is referred to as latent or inactive TB infection. About a quarter of the world’s population has latent TB.
Latent TB is not contagious, but it can become an active disease over time.
Meanwhile, active TB disease is highly contagious.
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