Stowaway Killer TB Travels Globe Fueling Screening Sales: Health

Tuberculosis, the deadly lung disease purged from most rich nations decades ago, is hitching a ride back in unsuspecting migrants. Most cases go undetected, quietly spreading TB from Stockholm to Sydney.

A latent form of the bug that isn’t detectable by standard X-ray screening can hide in bone marrow, lying dormant for years, researchers said in a study published last week. After the infection springs back to life, its carriers can spread it anew via sneezing and coughing. As global migration accelerates, an increase in cases of TB among immigrants has prompted governments to review screening procedures. It’s also boosting sales for Venlo, Netherlands-based Qiagen NV, whose test for latent TB has become its fastest-growing product.