The long shadow post-tuberculosis

The meta-analysis investigating the excess mortality after tuberculosis published by Kamila Romanowski and colleagues1 is an important piece of work confirming a long-held belief by health workers in the field; however, death frequently comes only at the end of prolonged periods of suffering and morbidity. [...]to develop prevention strategies, the mechanisms of damage during tuberculosis require further elucidation. Furthermore, former patients with tuberculosis—which include large numbers of children—are known to have a heightened risk of recurrent tuberculosis,5 highlighting the need for integrated care strategies to prevent and manage both recurrent disease and post-tuberculosis lung damage.