World Tuberculosis Day- March 24th

To highlight World Tuberculosis Day, which occurs annually on March 24th to spread awareness of the epidemic, I thought I would talk a little bit about the disease. Primarily affecting the lungs, tuberculosis (TB) is an airborne disease that comes from a bacteria and can be declared as either inactive or active in someone’s body. By being inactive, it will not demonstrate any symptoms or be considered contagious, however, it is possible for an inactive case to become active at any point in time. To prevent that change from happening, it is crucial to receive treatment as soon as possible. On the other hand, by having active TB, the disease continues to multiply itself throughout the body and is presented in the form of coughing up blood, having fevers, chest pain, a lack of appetite, and more. Like inactive TB, it is necessary to obtain treatment as soon as possible; otherwise, death can follow behind. Sadly, out of the 10.8 million people that contracted the disease in 2023, 1.25 million passed away. This statistic goes to show the devastation tuberculosis brings throughout the world and the importance of spreading awareness of such a disease. It is imperative to take a test if you are ever worried, whether it’s through a blood draw or skin sample. 

Works Cited

"About Tuberculosis." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 17 Jan. 2025, www.cdc.gov/tb/about/index.html. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.

"World Tuberculosis Day 2025." World Health Organization, www.who.int/campaigns/world-tb-day/2025. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.