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In the Philippines, tuberculosis disproportionately affects the poor, who do not have access to adequate healthcare.
Tuberculosis is the sixth leading cause of mortality in the Philippines, ranking it among the top ten countries highly burdened by the disease. A total of 116,296 TB cases were reported in 2002. However, the actual number is estimated to be considerably larger, as studies show that 49 percent of all TB victims do not seek medical care, while 30 percent of those getting medical care seek private medical practitioners. The death toll is estimated to reach 65,150 this year, more than double the 1997 total.
The disease usually invades the respiratory system and results in a persistent cough, fever, fatigue, and weight loss. Similar to SARS, tuberculosis is typically spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes and propels TB germs into the air. Crowded housing conditions provide ground for the perpetuation of TB infection, particularly among the young, while the prevalence of malnutrition, especially in urban poor communities and rural areas, exacerbates the cycle of infection and disease.
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