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A recent study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases has uncovered that Tuberculosis (TB) can spread through mere breathing, challenging previous beliefs. Previously, it was thought that TB primarily transmitted through coughing, sneezing, speaking, or laughing.
TB, the second most deadly disease following COVID-19, is a lung infection known to spread through the air. Its symptoms include cough, fever, and loss of appetite, among others.
The study, which analyzed data from over 600,000 individuals across 12 countries, found that a staggering four out of five people who tested positive for TB did not exhibit the expected persistent cough, a symptom previously considered a key indicator.
Professor Frank Cobelens, the study’s author and Global Health professor at Amsterdam University Medical Center, commented on the findings, stating, “A persistent cough is often the entry point for a diagnosis, but if 80% of those with TB don’t have one, then it means that a diagnosis will happen later, possibly after the infection has already been transmitted to many others, or not at all.”
Furthermore, the research revealed that 82.8% of TB-positive individuals did not show signs of a persistent cough, while 62.5% had no cough at all.
Frank Cobelens emphasized the urgent need for new diagnostic methods, urging the medical community to reconsider how TB cases are identified. He stated, “When we take all of these factors into account, it becomes clear that we need to really rethink large aspects of how we identify people with TB, it’s clear that current practice, especially in the most resource-poor settings, will miss large numbers of patients with TB.”
These findings have significant implications, particularly in the context of rising TB cases globally. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a 5.9% increase in TB cases in the United States in 2022 compared to 2021.
The revelation that TB can spread through breathing underscores the importance of innovative approaches to diagnosis and treatment to effectively combat this deadly disease.
Stay tuned for further updates as the medical community responds to these critical findings.
