© 2024 WUGA | University of Georgia
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

UGA Professor: Tuberculosis Once Again World's Biggest Killer

University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine

A University of Georgia researcher says one of the world’s oldest diseases is once again among the deadliest.

Tuberculous is once again the leading single infectious disease killer. In 2015, more than 10 million were infected, with 1.8 million dying. According to Fred Quinn, a professor and department head in UGA’s Veterinary College, while the U.S., Canada and Europe experience low rates of the disease; it’s still a problem in  developing nations.

“Through antibiotics and good public healthcare the number has decreased,” according to Quinn. “HIV came along in the 1970’s, 80’s 90’s; and that unfortunately took over as the number infectious disease killer, but HIV numbers have decreased somewhat and Tuberculosis has taken over as number one again.”

That’s according to Fred Quinn is a professor and department head in UGA’s Veterinary College. He says many Americans aren’t aware of the scale of the problem.

“In the United States, the case rate has been decreasing. It had spiked in the HIV epidemic in the 80’s and 90’s, but it’s far below 10-thousand cases per year now.”

The airborne pathogen can spread through coughing, sneezing, talking or laughing.

While all age groups are at-risk, TB Typically affects adults in their most productive years. Treatment can mean up to six months of often-toxic drugs.

Quinn says more research funding is needed to combat TB since the current test and vaccine for the disease are both about 100 years old.

The United Nations is holding a high-level meeting in September with a goal of speeding up efforts to end TB.

Related Content