4 Tuberculosis Can Protect You from Asthma

Let's say you're a little kid who has always dreamed of running the 100-meter sprint in the Olympics, because your parents never bought you video games and therefore do not love you. Sadly, your parents also have crippling asthma that brings them to their knees every time they so much as walk briskly to the toilet. You haven't shown symptoms yet, though, so your dream is still within reach.

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Then you catch tuberculosis, because fate is feeling particularly zany.

The good news is that you might still find yourself at the games, because people who are exposed to tuberculosis have a reduced risk of developing asthma. After all, your lungs can't be asthmatic if you're coughing them up an ounce at a time. Go for the gold!