Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is a contagious bacterial infection caused primarily by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that most commonly affects the lungs but can also attack other parts of the body. The disease spreads through airborne droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks, making it one of the most transmissible infectious diseases globally. Symptoms typically include a persistent cough lasting more than three weeks, chest pain, coughing up blood or sputum, fatigue, fever, night sweats and weight loss. Tuberculosis remains a major global public-health challenge, with particularly high prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa, South-East Asia and other regions where poverty, malnutrition, HIV co-infection and limited access to healthcare compound transmission and treatment challenges. The disease can be latent, where the bacteria remain dormant in the body without causing symptoms, or active, where symptoms manifest and the person becomes infectious. Treatment involves a lengthy course of multiple antibiotics, typically lasting six months or longer, and drug-resistant strains have emerged as a significant concern. Prevention strategies include the BCG vaccine, which offers partial protection especially in children, and infection control measures in healthcare settings and congregate environments. The World Health Organization estimates that tuberculosis causes more than one-million deaths annually, making it one of the top infectious disease killers worldwide. In Africa, the burden is particularly acute owing to high rates of HIV co-infection, which significantly increases susceptibility to tuberculosis and complicates treatment outcomes.