The 411 on Tuberculosis

March 24 is World TB Day.

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March 24 Is World TB Day! - March 24 is World Tuberculosis (TB) Day. This day, which is celebrated around the globe, is used to educate people about this deadly bacterial infection. Read more about TB, how it impacts the African diaspora and how to treat it. —(@kelleent) Kellee Terrell(Photo: Nicole Hill/Getty Images)

Seniors and Medicare - Seniors will see the end of the Medicare guarantee, including the 23 percent of Medicare enrollees who are people of color. Seniors would be forced to pay more for preventive services and prescription drugs under the Ryan budget. (Photo: JGI/Tom Grill/Getty Images)

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What Is TB? - Tuberculosis, which mostly attacks the lungs, is caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB can also attack the spine, brain and other parts of the body. When untreated, TB can be serious and deadly, yet for others the germs can live in their body without getting them sick (latent TB).  (Photo: JGI/Tom Grill/Getty Images)

Young man coughing, indoors

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How’s TB Spread? - TB is spread through the air from one infected person to another person. TB gets in the air when infected people sneeze, cough, speak and even sing, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) writes. TB is not spread by shaking hands, sharing drinks, sharing toothbrushes or kissing. (Photo: Getty Images)

Symptoms of TB  - A few common symptoms include: A bad cough that won’t go away, chest pains, coughing up blood, weakness and fatigue, weight loss, chills, fever and loss of appetite. If you believe you may have TB, call your doctor or local health clinic to be seen ASAP. (Photo: Getty Images)

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Symptoms of TB  - A few common symptoms include: A bad cough that won’t go away, chest pains, coughing up blood, weakness and fatigue, weight loss, chills, fever and loss of appetite. If you believe you may have TB, call your doctor or local health clinic to be seen ASAP. (Photo: Getty Images)

TB Around the World - Globally, TB is not a game. In 2012, TB caused 1.3 million deaths, made 8.6 million people sick, and a total of 3 million are not getting treatment at all, says a WHO report. The majority of these cases are in Southeast Asia, Africa, Western Pacific areas, India and China.  (Photo: Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)

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TB Around the World - Globally, TB is not a game. In 2012, TB caused 1.3 million deaths, made 8.6 million people sick, and a total of 3 million are not getting treatment at all, says a WHO report. The majority of these cases are in Southeast Asia, Africa, Western Pacific areas, India and China.  (Photo: Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)

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How Common Is TB in the US? - While TB may not as widespread here in the U.S., please don’t think it isn’t happening here. According to the CDC, in 2011 a total of 10,528 cases of TB were diagnosed in the U.S. (Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

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How Common Is TB in the US? - While TB may not as widespread here in the U.S., please don’t think it isn’t happening here. According to the CDC, in 2011 a total of 10,528 cases of TB were diagnosed in the U.S. (Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

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Blacks and TB - The good news: TB rates among Blacks have been steadily going down over the years. The bad news: We still continue to be disproportionately affected. In 2011, 39 percent of those diagnosed with TB in the U.S. were Black. (Photo: Siri Stafford/Getty Images)

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The Link Between TB and HIV - People living with HIV/AIDS are more at risk for TB given their suppressed immune system. Since Blacks are disproportionately diagnosed with HIV, this greatly increases our community’s risk of TB. Without treatment, a combination of HIV and TB can be extremely deadly.  (Photo: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)

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Other Risk Factors - Other factors that increase people’s risk of developing TB include: Lack of access to health care, poverty, people not staying on treatment (especially those with latent TB), working in a prison, homeless shelter, camp and some nursing homes, and using illegal drugs.  (Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Complications of CD - CD can make it difficult to use the bathroom, cause serious ulcers, colon cancer, anal cracks, malnutrition and internal fistulas (abnormal connections between your intestines and other organs such the bladder and vagina). African-Americans are more likely to have fistulas. (Photo: David Silverman/Getty Images)

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Testing and Treatment Options - There are two main ways of testing for TB: A TB skin and TB blood test. There is treatment, but it can be very lengthy. In terms of prevention, there is a TB vaccine available called the Bacille Calmette-Guerin.(Photo: David Silverman/Getty Images)

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Why We Need More TB Research - The tools that we have to fight TB are outdated, says a recent policy report written by Treatment Action Group (TAG). The group points out that the current TB tests used are 100 years old; the vaccine hasn’t been updated since 1921; and that only two treatments have been developed in the past 40 years.  (Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)