The people who never smoked, but lived with smoking persons are exposed to the risk of becoming infected with tuberculosis. Studies show that passive smoking leads to the development of pulmonary tuberculosis, IPN reports, quoting a communiqué from the Center for Health Policy and Analyses.

A study made in Hong Kong, which covered 16,000 women with smoking husbands, showed that passive smoking posed a threat in 13.7% of the cases of active tuberculosis.

Another study carried out in Thailand revealed that the active smokers who started to smoke at the age of 15-20 years and those who smoked for over 10 years are exposed to a greater risk of catching TB compared with others. There is a connection between tuberculosis and the period during which a person is exposed to smoking. Those who smoked over 10 cigarettes a day or more than three days a week were exposed to a greater risk of getting pulmonary TB compared with non-smokers.

According to the Center for Health Policy and Analyses, it is important that the authorities continue to develop tobacco control strategies so as to reduce the impact of smoking on public health at world level.