Tuberculosis is a disease that primarily affects the lungs. It is transmitted easily when people live in very close proximity to one another, and is widespread in developing countries. Most people who contract TB do not develop full-blown symptoms. Some 90 percent of people who have been exposed to the pathogen experience what is known as a latent infection. However, one in 10 of these latent infections progress to the active form of the disease, and people who are not treated have only a 50 percent chance of survival. TB is the leading cause of death among people infected with HIV.

 

TB treatment includes isolation (to break the chain of transmission) and therapy with several types of antibiotics over the course of at least six months. Resistance to antibiotics is a growing concern, and the increasing occurrence of multi-drug-resistance has been quite alarming.

 

March 24 was initially the anniversary of Dr. Robert Koch who, in 1882, announced the discovery of the bacterium that causes tuberculosis. A hundred years later, March 24 became “World Tuberculosis Day.”

 

A report of the World Health Organization released these days showed that the total number of new TB cases remained stable in 2007, and the percentage of the world’s population becoming ill with TB has continued the slow decline that was first noticed in 2004.

 

The 2009 Global TB Control Report also reveals that one out of four TB deaths is HIV related, twice as many as previously recognized. There were approximately 1.37 million new TB cases among HIV-infected people and 456,000 deaths.

 

“These findings point to an urgent need to find, prevent and treat tuberculosis in people living with HIV and to test for HIV in all patients with TB in order to provide prevention, treatment and care. Countries can only do that through stronger collaborative programmes and stronger health systems that address both diseases,” said Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO.

 

The theme for this year’s World TB Day is “Partnership for World TB Elimination.” As the theme itself states, every organization including local, state, and national affiliated companies and outreach programs are urged to take part in this awareness day in order to raise money and spread information worldwide to prevent more infections and hopefully one day eradicate TB from humanity.