As of: March 22, 2024, 8:30 p.m
By: Juliane Gutmann
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Tuberculosis, also known as consumption, is now considered curable.
But it still ends fatally far too often.
More people are becoming ill again in Germany.
Tuberculosis, also known as TB, is a bacterial infectious disease.
It primarily attacks the lungs, but can also affect other organs.
Caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, TB is transmitted through respiratory droplets.
As the
Federal Center for Health Education
(BZgA) informs, pulmonary tuberculosis - the most common form of the disease - usually begins with non-specific symptoms such as tiredness and fatigue.
The following symptoms are also possible signs of the disease:
Fever
Lack of appetite with unwanted weight loss
Night sweats
Prolonged cough, possibly with bloody sputum and pain when breathing
More tuberculosis cases in Germany again
“If a cough persists for a long time, tuberculosis should also be considered and further examined using an X-ray examination of the lungs in accordance with existing recommendations,” said the President of the
Robert Koch Institute
(RKI), Lars Schaade, on the occasion of World Tuberculosis Day on December 24th. Quoted in an RKI press release in March.
The number of cases in Germany is currently increasing, it goes on to say.
In 2023 there were 4,481 confirmed cases of tuberculosis in Germany.
In 2021 there were still around 3,900 cases.
If the cough does not go away, a bacterial infection should also be considered as a trigger.
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But why are the numbers currently rising in a country with a low incidence of tuberculosis like Germany?
According to the RKI, this is also due to the immigration of people seeking protection from Ukraine.
The infectious disease is much more common there than in Germany.
Tuberculosis is usually life-threatening in poor countries with poor medical care - where people have no money for medication or simply lack it.
Treatment for tuberculosis usually consists of lengthy antibiotic therapy.
This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. It in no way replaces a visit to the doctor. Our editorial team is not allowed to answer individual questions about medical conditions.