Kuala Lampur, Feb. 13 -- When we hear the word "tuberculosis" (TB), many of us picture a scene from a black-and-white movie with a sickly character coughing into a handkerchief in a crowded, dusty room.

We like to think of it as a disease of the past, something our grandparents worried about.

But the news recently from Kota Tinggi, Johor, where six school students were confirmed to have active TB, has reminded us that TB is still very much present.

As a paediatrician, I foresee the anxiety this news could create. Parents are already asking: Is my child safe at school? Should I keep them home? The fear is real, but let's replace that with the power of understanding.

The emotional reality: It's usually not 'kid-to-kid'

The most terrify...