Tweet
About 40 million smokers are likely to die from tuberculosis (TB) by 2050, a new study led by an Indian-origin researcher has warned.
The research by Dr Sanjay Basu and colleagues from the University of California found that smokers are about twice as likely to get the lung infection and die from it, compared with non-smokers.
According to their mathematical model, published in the BMJ (British Medical Journal), worldwide smoking could lead to 40 million extra deaths from TB from 2010 to 2050.
If current smoking trends continue, the number of new cases of TB will rise by 18 million, the researchers said, adding that smoking alone could undermine the worldwide goal of reducing TB mortality by half between 1990 and 2015.
Many of the new TB cases, according to the projections, will be in Africa, the eastern Mediterranean and Southeast Asian regions, the BBC reported.
The researchers concluded: "Tobacco smoking could substantially increase tuberculosis cases and deaths worldwide in coming years, undermining progress towards tuberculosis mortality targets.
"Aggressive tobacco control could avert millions of deaths from tuberculosis."
Tuberculosis is a contagious infection that mainly affects the lungs, but can spread to other parts of the body.
If not treated, it can damage the lungs to such an extent that a person cannot breathe properly. Sometimes, people do not experience any symptoms for many months or even years after being infected.
The research by Dr Sanjay Basu and colleagues from the University of California found that smokers are about twice as likely to get the lung infection and die from it, compared with non-smokers.
According to their mathematical model, published in the BMJ (British Medical Journal), worldwide smoking could lead to 40 million extra deaths from TB from 2010 to 2050.
If current smoking trends continue, the number of new cases of TB will rise by 18 million, the researchers said, adding that smoking alone could undermine the worldwide goal of reducing TB mortality by half between 1990 and 2015.
Many of the new TB cases, according to the projections, will be in Africa, the eastern Mediterranean and Southeast Asian regions, the BBC reported.
The researchers concluded: "Tobacco smoking could substantially increase tuberculosis cases and deaths worldwide in coming years, undermining progress towards tuberculosis mortality targets.
"Aggressive tobacco control could avert millions of deaths from tuberculosis."
Tuberculosis is a contagious infection that mainly affects the lungs, but can spread to other parts of the body.
If not treated, it can damage the lungs to such an extent that a person cannot breathe properly. Sometimes, people do not experience any symptoms for many months or even years after being infected.
