A new study has discovered that patients with diabetes are up to seven times more likely to develop tuberculosis.
The study published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene was conducted in Australia. It spanned over 20 years.
The researchers looked at data from the Townsville Hospital over a period of 20 years (1995-2014) and found that patients with diabetes were much more likely to develop TB than the general population.
According to Robert Norton, Director of Microbiology at Townsville Hospital said “You can have TB your whole life and not know it, but if you suffer from diabetes and your immune system is not functioning well, it can flare up.
The study also showed that while the overall numbers were lower, the proportion of diabetics developing TB was the same as in less-developed countries.
Norton said the findings “It is especially important because the prevalence of type two diabetes is increasing at a very significant pace.”
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