Johns Hopkins Health Alerts Topic Page:
Tuberculosis
View All Lung Disorders Health Alerts • View All Lung Disorders Special Reports
Johns Hopkins Health Alerts | Lung Disorders | Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis:
Tuberculosis (often called TB) is an infectious disease that usually attacks the lungs, but can attack almost any part of the body. Tuberculosis is spread from person to person through the air.
When people with TB in their lungs or throat cough, laugh, sneeze, sing, or even talk, the germs that cause TB may be spread into the air. If other people breathe in these germs there is a chance that they will become infected with tuberculosis. Repeated contact is usually required for infection.
It is important to understand that there is a difference between being infected with TB and having TB disease. Someone who is infected with TB has the TB germs, or bacteria, in their body. The body’s defenses are protecting them from the germs and they are not sick.
Someone with TB disease is sick and can spread the disease to other people. A person with TB disease needs to see a doctor as soon as possible.
It is not easy to become infected with tuberculosis. Usually a person has to be close to someone with TB disease for a long period of time. TB is usually spread between family members, close friends, and people who work or live together. TB is spread most easily in closed spaces over a long period of time. However, transmission in an airplane, although rare, has been documented.
Even if someone becomes infected with tuberculosis, that does not mean they will get TB disease. Most people who become infected do not develop TB disease because their body’s defenses protect them.
Experts believe that about 10 million Americans are infected with TB germs. Only about 10 percent of these people will develop TB disease in their lifetimes. The other 90 percent will never get sick from the TB germs or be able to spread them to other people.
TB is an increasing and major worldwide problem, especially in Africa, where the spread is facilitated by AIDS. It is estimated that nearly 1 billion people will become infected, 200 million will become sick, and 70 million will die worldwide between now and 2020. In 1999, approximately 8.4 million cases and 2 million deaths were attributed to TB; 100,000 of those 2 million deaths occurred among children.
More on Tuberculosis:
Lung Disorders Glossary
The information in the Lung Disorders area is based on our monthly newsletter, Johns Hopkins Health After 50, and our annual Johns Hopkins White Paper: Lung Disorders.Back to Top | Back to Lung Disorders
