Because of affordability reasons,  many urbanites live in poor conditions such as slumps and congested flats with poor ventilation and cleanliness, which are  breeding grounds for contagious and transmittable diseases.

Senior Consultant of Respiratory at the Institute of Respiratory Medicine Prof Datuk Dr Abdul Razak Mutallif said the new trend of the spread of TB falls in that category. "Big families are living in cramped, small houses with poor ventilation and living conditions,” he told Malay Mail.

"The general idea is those living in urban areas are supposed to have better living standards but that is not the situation at all.”

He said that besides poor living conditions, the big number of immigrants working in the city and living in crowded places like kongsis is also a contributing factor.

Dr Abdul Razak said although those in urban areas have access to healthcare they go for treatment late because of ignorance.

"In rural areas they have good ventilation and better living conditions but there is a limitation in healthcare and they get medical help late,” he said.

"Sabah has the highest number of TB cases in the country but that’s because of the accessibility to healthcare. They stay far in the interior areas and to seek medical attention is tough. They have good lifestyle but the medical checks are late.”

The three states with the highest TB incidences are Sabah, Selangor and Sarawak, making up a total of almost half of all new cases in Malaysia.

TB also has the highest death rate among all infectious diseases, including dengue, HIV and malaria.

World TB Day, held on March 24 each year, is an opportunity to raise awareness about the burden of TB and highlight TB prevention and care efforts.

What is TB? TB is caused by a bacterium known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis or Koch’s bacillus and it most often affects the lungs.

How is it transmitted? It is  transmitted through the air and thrives in weakened immune systems. It is curable and preventable, with the availability of effective medications, and if the patients come early. When people with lung TB cough, sneeze or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air. A person needs to inhale only a few of these germs to become infected. TB can also affect other parts of the body, like the brain, bone, lymph nodes and heart.

What are the treatments?     Treating TB requires a longer time. Depending on the patient’s age, weight, health and drug resistance, the antibiotic course can take up to six months. Isoniazid, Rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane), Ethambutol (Myambutol) and Pyrazinamide are the most common medicine used. For patients with drug resistant TB, Bedaquiline and Linezolid could also be included for treatment. While symptoms of TB wear off in a couple of weeks, it is essential for TB patients to finish their course of antibiotics as prescribed in order to cure TB.