The Threat of Tuberculosis

India has approximately two to three million people infected Tuberculosis. India bears a disproportionately large burden of the world's tuberculosis rates, as it resides to be the biggest health problem in India.

Cause –

Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria ‘Mycobacterium Tuberculosis’.  It primarily affects the Lungs.

Infection –

It is highly contagious and can easily spread through airborne droplets e.g. sneeze, cough.

Symptoms –

A bad cough lasting 3 weeks or longer

Pain and discomfort in chest

Coughing up blood or sputum

Weakness or fatigue

Weight loss

No appetite

Chills

Fever

Sweating at night

Risk Factors –

People recently infected with TB bacteria

People infected with medical conditions that weakens immune system

People have higher chances of TB infections if:

HIV Infection

Child younger than 5 years

Cigarette smoking, drug or alcohol abuse

People not treated correctly or fully for previous TB infection.

Malnutrition

People with Diabetes Mellitus are also at risk.

  

Diagnostic tests

Mantoux tuberculin skin test - A hard, raised red bump means you're likely to have TB infection (Within 48 to 72 hours)

Blood Test

Chest X - Ray

C T Scan

Sputum Test

Extra pulmonary TB (Infection spreading outside lungs)

Pleura (in tuber0063ulous pleurisy)

The central nervous system (in tuberculous meningitis),

The lymphatic system (in scrofula of the neck),

The genitourinary system (in urogenital tuberculosis), and

The bones and joints (in Pott disease of the spine)

(When it spreads to the bones, it is also known as "osseous tuberculosis”, a form of osteomyelitis.)

Treatment

This is most crucial to Tuberculosis. Once a person is confirmed diagnosed with TB, medication should start immediately without break of even a single dose. This is important to stop the further spread of infection. Infection spreads rapidly which is deadly. It is a contagious disease and so medication needs to start quickly.

The course of medication last from 6 months to 9 months.

Stopping treatment too soon or skipping doses can allow the bacteria that are still alive to become resistant to those drugs, leading to TB that is much more dangerous and difficult to treat.

Multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB, also known as Vank's disease)

It is defined as a form of TB infection caused by bacteria that are resistant to treatment with at least two of the most powerful first-line anti-TB drugs.

Primary MDR-TB occurs in patients who have not previously been infected with TB but who become infected with a strain that is resistant to treatment.

Acquired MDR-TB occurs in patients during treatment with a drug regimen that is not effective at killing the particular strain of TB with which they have been infected.

This can occur due to patient not taking the medication correctly, which can be due to a variety of reasons, including expense or scarcity of medicines, patient forgetfulness, or patient stopping treatment early because they feel better.

TB facts

India has the highest number of TB cases in the world.

The World Health Organization (WHO) statistics for 2014 give an estimated incidence figure of 2.2 million cases of TB for India out of a global incidence of 9 million.

India has over 71,000 notified cases of MDR-TB (multi-drug resistant-TB).

India reports more than 3 lac TB deaths every year.

Children comprise 40% of the population but are currently under-diagnosed in India. 

Tuberculosis is curable and preventable; all we require is awareness and support. There is no stigma attached and no need of embarrassment. The patient needs to be careful, take complete course of treatment and should be educated by health provider about precautions and prevention. We need to wake up, take the call and step forward to help make India TB free nation, communication is always the keyword.

References:-

Wikipedia 1

Wikipedia 2

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Mayo clinics

TB Facts

 

Image

Pic 1

Pic 2