Demand for Tuberculosis Drugs to Surge with Increasing Prevalence of Tuberculosis and Increasing Number of Smokers
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that commonly infects the lungs and causes pulmonary fibrosis (pus in the blood). Other organs, including the bladder, kidneys, or heart can also be affected. If left untreated, symptoms can progress and eventually lead to death. The disease is spread through direct contact with infectious material such as blood, saliva, and other secretions from the nose, mouth, or rectum. Tuberculosis can have many forms and is usually caused by several strains of a single bacterium, Mycoplasma Tuberculosis (MTB). Increasing number of smokers is expected to boost demand for TB drugs. According to the World Health Organization, 1.337 billion people smoked tobacco worldwide in 2018. Moreover, according to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in the U.S., around 164.8 million people aged 12 or older in the U.S. were past month substance users that included tobacco, alcohol, or illicit drugs. The most commonly used tuberculosis drugs include, Isonia