Tuberculosis, caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, has reclaimed its spot as the deadliest infectious disease.
In 2022, an estimated 1.2 million people died around the world from COVID-19, while 1.3 million people died from tuberculosis (TB), according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
As cases of the COVID-19 virus and related deaths dwindle, tuberculosis, caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, has reclaimed its spot as the deadliest infectious disease.
TB “is curable, provided we diagnose early, intervene, and the drug regime is followed religiously,” Seyed Hasnain, National Science Chair at the Indian Institute of Technology and distinguished professor of life sciences at Sharda University in India, wrote to The Epoch Times via email. So why is it still so deadly?
A Disease of Poverty
Poverty is the breeding ground for tuberculosis.
TB is particularly endemic to eight countries, namely Bangladesh, China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and the Philippines. Over two-thirds of the world’s TB sufferers are from these countries.
Commonalities among these eight countries are overcrowding, poverty, and malnutrition, Dr. Vinod Kumar, a public health consultant for the WHO, wrote to The Epoch Times.
China poses a slight exception. A significant proportion of the country is rich and above the poverty line, yet many are below the poverty line or are living in extreme poverty. While official reports state that the country has prospered and made significant improvements to eliminate poverty, this is challenged by experts.
Tuberculosis is transmitted through the air by someone with an active TB infection in their lungs or throat. This can occur when the person coughs, speaks, or sneezes.
Overcrowded conditions are often damp, dirty, dark, and poorly ventilated. These places promote TB persistence since TB bacteria can be killed by sunlight, and exposure to sunlight also increases immunity.
Malnutrition is a surrogate of poverty and is also comorbid for tuberculosis. It puts a person at a greater risk of infection as the body cannot defend against these bacteria. Around 40 percent of TB cases are associated with malnutrition.
By Marina Zhang
