Patients with untreatable tuberculosis ‘are spreading infection’

A new study published in The Lancet has found that patients in South Africa with untreatable tuberculosis are being discharged into the community, which, according to researchers, is contributing to the spread of the disease. Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria can easily spread from person to person through airborne particles. The disease primarily affects the lungs, but it can also affect other organs. Typical symptoms of the disease include persistent coughing (in which a person can bring up blood), weight loss, night sweats, a fever, tiredness and fatigue, and loss of appetite. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that TB is one of the most deadliest diseases in the world. In 2011, almost 9 million people around the world became ill with tuberculosis, and there were approximately 1.4 million related deaths. TB is treated with multiple antibiotics, which need to be taken for...