Tunisia Records About 3,500 Tuberculosis Cases Each Year, Many Linked to Raw Milk
Tunis, 27 February 2026 – Tunisia registers roughly 3,500 tuberculosis (TB) cases annually, with nearly 1,400 of them associated with the consumption of unpasteurised milk and its derivatives, announced Ahmed Rejeb, dean of veterinarians, during a live interview on the national radio station on Friday.
-
Transmission source: Rejeb estimates that 80 % of these infections are transmitted from cattle to humans, underscoring the critical role of health surveillance for dairy products.
-
Official comment: Abdelraouf Mansouri, head of the Tuberculosis and Malaria Control Programme at the Ministry of Health’s Directorate of Health Care, reminded listeners that pulmonary and lymph‑node TB remain endemic in Tunisia. He called for strengthening screening and early‑diagnosis operations to curb the disease’s spread.
Public‑Health Warning
Health authorities are warning the public against consuming uncontrolled dairy products, which pose a significant risk to public health. Mansouri also highlighted that vaccination protects children from severe forms of TB, but does not prevent infection altogether.
Key Symptoms to Watch For
Experts list the following as the main clinical signs of tuberculosis:
- Persistent cough lasting more than 15 days, sometimes blood‑tinged
- Unexplained weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Night sweats
Awareness campaigns stress the importance of prompt medical consultation when any of these symptoms appear.
Keywords: Tunisia, tuberculosis, raw milk, unpasteurised dairy, public health, early diagnosis, TB symptoms, health surveillance.
