How Common Is TB in the West?

TB is curable if caught early enough. It was almost non existant in Britain but there are now a lot more cases. Homeless people often get it and a lot of people from other countries have it without realising and bring it into the country. Unfortuneately the government have exported all of the TB immunisations to other countries and, they say, there is no longer enough to immunise the people here. This will also help the disease to spread again. My grandmother had TB, that was a long time ago and she was cured of it.

I have heard about it pal , I think some relative of Jim's had it many years ago , It seems to have come back with a vengance now , I saw it on the TV just the other week , I wonder if it is caused by the lessening standards of cleanliness in the hospitals nowadays xx

Wow Sweetie I know when I was a child one of the Children in my Class got it and I do remember that we all had to go for a check up make sure none the others had it and then once we clear we had to have an injection there and then I do know that this boy had to be isolated But I have not hear of this Illness in many years that I did not think it was still about lol I know then it was very dangerous but I am not aware of it today and how dangerous it is xxxxx

I don't think TB is very common in the US I don't know anyone who has it. I'm not even sure what causes it. I remember when I was little they gave us those weird shots under the skin.

Sweety I don't know a lot about TB but I do know that it is on the rise again in the west! I don't mean this the way it sounds but the rising numbers are mainly coming from refugees or immigrants who come from countries without immunisation programmes! I do know that it is a very serious illness and can cause an awful cough and blood in the mucus! xxx

The latest statistics I found were for 2005. 14,000 people were infected with TB. It was virtually wiped out in the US until the government and health care systems started to ignore it. You know, years ago, you had to have a TB test to work in any food service job. They stopped that, though. My daughter was in the hospital for an extended stay. Don't ask me how, but I just had a feeling that she should have a TB test. We went to the Health Department and sure enough, she was positive for exposure. Fortunately, she had what is called "latent TB." She was exposed and had the bacteria, but did not have TB and could not spread it. In cases like this, TB can stay in your body for years before becoming active. Fortunately, we caught it quickly and she was treated. It took 6 months of going to the HD twice per week! Thankfully, she got the treatment and is fine. Unfortunately TB is not controlled in all countries. Worldwide, over 9 million become ill with TB every year; over 2 million die from it or complications of it.

I am not sure, I think emphesema has replaced tb but I am too tired to go do the research to know for sure.

I dont think it is a very common disease nowadays. It was common in the 19th century & they have already found a cure for it , i suppose. Its not vey common here in india. ~pinks~

It's very common where there is over crowding or unhygienic living conditions. Usually that means prisons and reservations. The scariest thing about TB is that many strains of it are now resistant to antibiotics. It makes it so much more difficult to combat.

I have never known anyone personally to have had TB of the lungs, but have known a woman who had TB that was in her bones. I have also known people who had a positive TB tines test - but never developed the disease.

wolfie i am not sure what the statistics here in australia are,i think pretty low.i work in a large hospital and yet to come across anyone with it.we all have to be tested for t.b. here and it is mandatory that we are.cheers sue

Tuberculosis is not very common in west countries. it usually infects the people who live in the developing countries or African countries. tuberculosis can be cured by LFP.

In the US if you work at a nursing home or hospital or place like that you have to have a TB test as it is very contagious. I don't know how common it is and I don't know anyone who has ever had it.

I heve never had TB, but one time before to start my job on the ship, I made a test for TB and the doctor explained indetails what are the signs of the sickness. Bad cough; sleeping a lot and only in bad cases, loosing blood from the mouth.

I believe that TB - active TB at least - is rare in the US. My BIL popped up with inactive TB. We believe he caught it when he was in Europe back in 2005. My husband, 4 SILs, FIL, and Step-MIL all got tested since the were in London too. They didn't have inactive TB. Even if you have the inactive you have to get treated because if your immune system is ever compromised you can get active TB.

I live in a area where TB cases are steadily rising. We have a lot of immigrants in our area that come from countries where the disease is common. Despite common belief, TB is really not that easy to catch. You have to spend time with a person who has a active TB to catch it, at least several hours a day over several days. But, that misconception is easily spread. I once had what looked like a positive TB test and was told that I could get it just by someone standing next to me in line at a grocery store. Well, that's not true at all! TB is easy and cheap to treat in the U.S. Basically, you take a course of anti-biotics over several months to kill the disease. The total cost to do so in my area is about $200 for all testing and the course of medicine. If you test positive, it should be followed up with a chest x-ray. Most people who are exposed and test positive may never come down with the disease. Some will get it many years later. One of the most prominent signs is persistent coughing with fever that can last for days. Then, there's weight loss and night sweats. If you get to it when you are starting to get symptoms, you can usually be treated OK.

TB insects will eat away our flesh. The symptoms oh TB : continueous cold, cough attended with fever. T.B. is curable. We have to prevent ourselves from cold and cough. In old cinemas they project "Switcherland' is the best place to take rest for the T.B. affected patients. Now in India T.B. patients get complete cure and relief from the decease. Is it common in west? unbelievable.