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What makes TB the world's most infectious killer? - Melvin Sanicas

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TEDEd Animation

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In 2008, two 9,000-year old skeletons were found with their bones infected by an all too familiar bacterium. The ancient Greeks knew its effects as phthisis; the Incans called it chaky oncay; and today we call it tuberculosis, or TB. TB is still one of the world’s most infectious killers, causing more deaths than malaria or even HIV. How has it persisted for so long? Melvin Sanicas investigates.

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Melvin Sanicas
  • Director Katie Wendt
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Producer Aaron Augenblick
  • Animator Mimi Chiu
  • Music GDM Production Music
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Associate Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Associate Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
  • Script Editor Emma Bryce
  • Fact-Checker Eden Girma