Which of the following statements about tuberculosis is incorrect?

• A. Majority of people with TB do not have symptoms and are not contagious.
• B. TB is caused by a bacterial infection and is easily treated with a few doses of antibiotics.
• C. World Health Organization estimates that a quarter of the world’s population has latent TB.
• D. TB is highly contagious and is spread through respiratory droplets from infected people.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand what tuberculosis (TB) is — a disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, primarily affecting the lungs but can affect other parts of the body.
2. Step 2: Review the nature of TB infection — differentiate between latent TB infection (where the person is infected but shows no symptoms and is not contagious) and active TB disease (where symptoms appear and the person can spread the infection).
3. Step 3: Analyze the statements given: identify which ones correctly describe TB, such as the fact that many people have latent TB without symptoms and that TB spreads through respiratory droplets.
4. Step 4: Focus on the statement about treatment — TB requires a long course of multiple antibiotics over several months, not just a few doses, to effectively cure the disease and prevent resistance.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the incorrect statement is the one claiming TB is easily treated with a few doses of antibiotics, because proper treatment is more complex and prolonged.