The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine could lead to an increased spread of tuberculosis, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
What he said: Fauci recently told The Telegraph that the ongoing conflict could lead to the spread of tuberculosis in Ukraine, as there will be fewer resources available to help Ukraine deal with TB.
- “(The war) could be devastating, quite frankly,” Fauci told The Telegraph.
- “As a public health official, as a scientist, and as an infectious disease expert, I’m very worried about the disruption that has already happened and that will continue.”
Details: Ukraine has about 30,000 new cases of tuberculosis every year, per Reuters.
- Ukraine has the fourth-highest incidence rate of tuberculosis across the 53 countries in the entire region of Europe, according to the World Health Organization.
What to know: Tuberculosis spreads through bacteria, which attacks the lungs and other parts of your body, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- You might not become sick with TB, though. You could have an infection or a disease.
- “Some people develop TB disease soon after becoming infected (within weeks) before their immune system can fight the TB bacteria,” according to the CDC. “Other people may get sick years later, when their immune system becomes weak for another reason.”