TUBERCULOSIS (TB) AWARENESS

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by the bacterium mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is a serious infectious disease that mainly affects the lungs. This bacteria is spread from one person to another through tiny droplets released into the air via coughs and sneezes.

It used to be rare in developed countries, tuberculosis infections began increasing in 1985, partly because of the emergence of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. HIV weakens a person's immune system so it can't fight the TB germs.

Many strains of tuberculosis resist the drugs most used to treat the disease. People with active tuberculosis must take several types of medications for many months to eradicate the infection and prevent development of antibiotic resistance.

SYMPTOMS

Although your body may harbor the bacteria that cause tuberculosis, your immune system usually can prevent you from becoming sick. For this reason, doctors make a distinction between:

·         Latent TB. In this condition, one has a TB infection, but the bacteria remain in the body in an inactive state and cause no symptoms. Latent TB, also called inactive TB is not contagious. It can turn into active TB, so treatment is important for the person with latent TB and to help control the spread of TB.

·         Active TB. This is the infectious TB, it shows signs and can spread to others. It can occur in the first few weeks after infection with the TB bacteria, or it might occur years later.

Signs and symptoms of active TB include:

·         Coughing that lasts three or more weeks

·         Coughing up blood

·         Chest pain, or pain with breathing or coughing

·         Unintentional weight loss

·         Fatigue

·         Fever

·         Night sweats

·         Chills

·         Loss of appetite

Tuberculosis can also affect other parts of the body. Tuberculosis can affect the kidney, spine and brain. When TB occurs outside the lungs, signs and symptoms vary according to the organs involved. For example, tuberculosis of the spine may give you back pain, and tuberculosis in your kidneys might cause blood in your urine.

CAUSES

Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria that spread from person to person through microscopic droplets released into the air. This can happen when someone with the untreated, active form of tuberculosis coughs, speaks, sneezes, spits, laughs or sings.

Although tuberculosis is contagious, it is not easy to catch. You are much more likely to get tuberculosis from someone you live with or work with than from a stranger. Most people with active TB who have had appropriate drug treatment for at least two weeks are no longer contagious

HIV AND TB

Due to the emergence of HIV, cases of tuberculosis increased dramatically. Infection with HIV suppresses the immune system, making it difficult for the body to fight TB bacteria. As a result, people living with HIV are many times more likely to get TB and to progress from latent to active disease.

RISK FACTORS

Anyone can get tuberculosis, but certain factors can increase your risk of the disease. These factors include:

Weakened immune system

A healthy immune system often successfully fights TB bacteria, but a weak immune system won’t be able to fight germs and bacteria. A number of diseases and medications can weaken your immune system, including:

·         HIV/AIDS

·         Diabetes

·         Severe kidney disease

·         Certain cancers

·         Cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy

·         Drugs to prevent rejection of transplanted organs

·         Some drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease and psoriasis

·         Malnutrition

PREVENTION

If you test positive for latent TB infection, your doctor may advise you to take medications to reduce your risk of developing active tuberculosis. The only type of tuberculosis that is contagious is the active variety, when it affects the lungs. So if you can prevent your latent tuberculosis from becoming active, you won't transmit tuberculosis to anyone else.

Vaccinations

In countries where tuberculosis is more common, infants often are vaccinated with bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine because it can prevent severe tuberculosis in children.