The Importance of Tuberculosis Awareness

TB is more common than you may think. About one-third of the world’s population is currently infected with TB, with one new infection occurring every second. Not all infected people are sick with active TB; in fact, 90 percent have “walled off” the bacteria within their lungs and are not ill. But the other 10 percent will develop active, contagious tuberculosis each year, and each person who develops active B will likely infect at least 10 to 15 other people before he is treated.

Raising awareness about tuberculosis, what it is, and how to prevent its spread can help lower tuberculosis rates around the globe.