Which is a significant risk factor for developing tuberculosis (TB)?

Close contact with an infected person is indeed a significant risk factor for developing tuberculosis (TB). TB is primarily spread through airborne particles when an infected individual coughs, sneezes, or talks. When a person is in close proximity to someone with active TB, the likelihood of inhaling the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis increases significantly. This close contact can occur in various settings, especially in crowded living conditions or among individuals who share living spaces.

While other factors like a high protein diet, a sedentary lifestyle, or environmental pollution can influence overall health and immunity, they do not specifically increase the risk of TB transmission in the same direct manner as close contact with an infected person does. In essence, the transmission dynamics of TB underscore the importance of understanding how it spreads, making close contact a critical risk factor in the infection's epidemiology.