What is TB?

TB, or tuberculosis, is an airborne disease caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria can attack any part of the body, usually affecting the lungs. TB was once a leading cause of death in the "developed" world. Today, worldwide each year 2 million people die from this curable disease, mostly in the "developing" world; 80% of incident cases occur in developing countries.

TB in the World

Accord to the WHO's TB fact site:

• Someone in the world is newly infected with TB every second.
• Nearly 1% of the world's population is newly infected with TB each year.
• Overall, one third of the world's population is currently infected with the TB bacillus.
• 5-10% of people who are infected with TB (but who are not infected with HIV) become sick or infectious at some time during their life.
• only 20-25% of all TB patients worldwide have access to effective diagnosis and treatment

TB and HIV

HIV and TB form a lethal combination, each speeding the other's progress. HIV weakens the immune system. Someone who is HIV-positive and infected with TB is many times more likely to become sick with TB than someone infected with TB who is HIV-negative.

• TB is a leading cause of death among people who are HIV-positive.
• It accounts for about 11% of AIDS deaths worldwide.
• Of the 36.1 million people worldwide living with HIV/AIDS (WHO 2000 statistic), about a third are co-infected with TB

TB in the Americas

"The Americas" comprise one of the official WHO regions of health study, and include the nation of Guyana. According to a 1999 JAMA paper:

In the Americas:

• Incidence of TB = 52 per 100,000 (411000 cases)
• Prevalence of TB = 72 per 100,000 (567000 cases)
• Infection prevalence = 18%
• TB Death Rate =8 per 100,000 (66,000 cases)
• TB/HIV co-infection pevalence = 64 per 100,000 (510,000 cases)
• CFR = 34% (proportion of incident TB cases dying of TB)

TB Among Guyana's Neighbours

From PAHO:

From PAHO:

In 1998, there were 32 deaths due to TB reported in Georgetown Public Hospital and the city's chest clinic. However, due to the poor infrastructure and reporting system, these numbers are most surely underestimates.