It's possible that the "deadliest infection" on the planet is secretly spreading a Victorian disease among British people through symptomless victims. TB, often known as tuberculosis, has been cautioned to be stealthily spreading throughout communities while being the cause of millions of deaths worldwide. According to a Dutch study, the disease's traditional diagnostic methods are ineffective. The University of Cape Town and Amsterdam UMC discovered that the so-called conventional diagnostic procedures are unable to determine when an infection could spread. Frank Cobelens, professor of Global Health at Amsterdam UMC and senior fellow at the Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development (AIGHD), said: "This rather shatters the paradigm on the transmission of tuberculosis." The disease is worryingly on the rise in the UK, too. Dr Cobelens said: "Previously we understood that Mtb was only expelled by those who have the disease, but this study shows that also those with symptoms who test negative do this and probably spread the infection." Ben Patterson, external PhD candidate at Amsterdam UMC and AIGHD, added: “If someone carries Mtb in their respiratory tract, this may also mean they can spread it. "published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. And the findings show there's "a much broader range of people transmitting TB than previously recognised", Mr Patterson went on to say. Dr Cobelens said: "Together, our results indicate how complex tuberculosis is, and perhaps also why it is so difficult to eliminate tuberculosis in endemic areas. "Even when public health agencies work, according to the current guidelines, effectively against symptomatic TB cases. In this sense, a revaluation of our practices is necessary." Dr Esther Robinson, head of the TB unit at UKHSA, said: "A cough that usually has mucus and lasts longer than three weeks can be caused by a range of other issues, including TB. "Please speak to your GP if you think you could be at risk.”