Tuberculosis can spread via breathing too, scientists warn

It was earlier believed that Tuberculosis (TB) transmits via coughing, sneezing, speaking or laughing. However, a new study has found that even breathing can spread TB germs, The Sun reported.

TB is the second most deadliest disease after COVID-19. It is a lung infection which spreads via air. Its symptoms include cough, fever and loss of appetite, among others.

According to the study, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, four in five people, who test positive for TB do not shows signs of cough, which was earlier thought to be the key symptom.

However, it has now been found that people can pick up the infection by just breathing near the person who has the killer bug.

The study's author Professor Frank Cobelens, who teaches Global Health at the Amsterdam University Medical Center, said: "A persistent cough is often the entry point for a diagnosis, but if 80% of those with TB don't have one, then it means that a diagnosis will happen later, possibly after the infection has already been transmitted to many others, or not at all."

The study analysed data from more than 600,000 people across 12 countries and found that 82.8% of the people who had TB did not show signs of persistent cough, while 62.5% had no cough at all.

After studying the results, Frank has urged medics to find new ways of diagnosing the disease so cases are not missed.

He said: "When we take all of these factors into account, it becomes clear that we need to really rethink large aspects of how we identify people with TB, it's clear that current practice, especially in the most resource-poor settings, will miss large numbers of patients with TB."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States saw a 5.9% increase in TB cases in 2022 as compared to 2021.