A true scourge of humanity

IT IS said to have caused the early deaths of many artistic luminaries such as the Romantic poet John Keats, the composer Frédéric Chopin and the writers Emily Brontë and Robert Louis Stevenson. And this highly infectious and deadly disease in the world today is not what you might expect.

It does not have the media profile of conditions such as HIV/AIDS, cancer and even diabetes – and it is curable. It is tuberculosis.

The world today marks World TB Day, dedicated to educating the public about the impact of TB around the world.

South Africa is recognised as one of the countries with the highest burden of TB infections. The World Health Organisation estimates in South Africa TB infects 454 000 people every year – just under 1% of the population. Around the world, about 60% of cases are found in just six countries, with India having the most, followed by Indonesia, China, Nigeria, Pakistan and South Africa.

TB kills 1.5 million people a year, with more than 95% of victims being in developing countries.

Its low profile is probably because while it was once a leading cause of death in Western Europe and North America, it has largely been eliminated there. In the US, for example, there were about 80

000 TB cases in 1954; in 2014, just 9 421. In contrast, in South Africa, WHO estimates there were 96 000 Tb-related deaths the same year, making it the leading cause of death.

People contract TB when the mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria enter the body and multiply. Usually, the bacteria infect the lungs, but if untreated can spread, attacking the kidneys, spine or brain. TB thrives in crowded spaces. In public transport, churches, bars, houses – in small, poorly ventilated spaces. All it takes is a cough – once infected, many die.

We echo the call by the SA Medical Association for the scaling up of access to treatment, ensuring sufficient and sustainable financing for research, and promoting an end to stigma and discrimination associated with TB.

Research shows TB is a disease as old as humanity. A genetic analysis of more than 250 strains from around the globe has revealed the infectious agent originated with the emergence of Homo sapiens more than 70 000 years ago.

Humanity must redouble efforts to halt the spread of this scourge that’s responsible for more deaths than any other disease.