What is Tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is a disease caused by a germ called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. If you develop TB symptoms this is known as active TB. Some people go on to develop active TB weeks or months later. In others TB can remain latent for many years before becoming active. This is more likely if your body is weakened by other medical problems. It usually affects the lungs and is caught from other people. Your body’s natural defences, its immune system, usually control or destroy the germs once they are inhaled leaving them inactive. This is called latent TB. Tuberculosis is still a common disease in large parts of the world. Yearly about 9 million people fall ill with tuberculosis and 1.5 million die of the disease. Tuberculosis is common especially in low and middle income countries. Crowded living conditions, malnutrition, HIV-epidemic and poor health care enhance the spread of the disease. Tuberculosis spreads also in countries in which infrastructure has been affected by natural disasters, wars or societal breakdown.

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