1 Only people from hundreds of years ago got tuberculosis, known as TB.
FALSE! TB was a major health problem before people had antibiotics. But it’s on the rise again in the UK, with nearly 9,000 cases in 2011.
2 It’s spread by coughing and sneezing, and is highly infectious.
FALSE! Although it’s spread in a similar way, TB is not as infectious as colds or flu. You need to be in very close contact with a sufferer before getting it.
3 Symptoms include coughing up blood.
TRUE! Coughing that brings up phlegm, weight loss, night sweats and fever are all symptoms.
4 There is no cure.
FALSE! Treatment depends on which type of TB you have, but deaths from it are rare – this isn’t the 19th century any more!