Entertainment

Tuberculosis 101: All you need to know

By Dr. Arabelle Lijauco-Berto

Dr. ARABELLE LIJAUCO-BERTO

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. It is caused by a bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) that most often affect the lungs. However, the infection can spread via blood from the lungs to all organs in the body. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that 1/3 of the world’s population is infected with TB. In 2015, 10.4 million people around the world became sick with TB disease. There were 1.8 million TB-related deaths worldwide.

TB is spread through the air when a person with TB (whose lungs are infected) coughs, sneezes, spits, laughs, or talks. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and become infected. TB is not hereditary which means it cannot be transmitted from parent to offspring through the genes. It is also not spread through eating utensils.
TB can be latent wherein the TB bacteria lives in and infects the body without making you sick. People with latent TB infection do not feel sick and cannot spread TB bacteria to others. The body is able to fight the bacteria to stop them from growing. If the TB bacteria become active in the body and multiply, the person will go from having latent TB infection to being sick with TB disease.

People who are at increased risk of being infected with TB include those with weakened immune system (e.g. HIV patients), children younger than 5 years old and elderly individuals, those who smoke cigarettes, and abuse alcohol and drugs. Those who live in crowded areas such as home shelter, prison, or long-term care facility are also at increased risk of the disease.

Some of the most common symptoms of tuberculosis include: cough for more than 2 weeks, chest pain, coughing up of blood, fever, weight loss and night sweats. Diagnosis of TB can be done through skin testing, blood and sputum testing, and chest imaging.

TB is curable with medication and medical attention. If you have latent TB infection, you should receive treatment to prevent you from getting sick in the future. People with TB disease or active bacteria will typically be prescribed antibiotics that will fight the bacteria. It is important to finish the prescribed duration of the treatment.

Skipping the doses or stopping the treatment early will allow the bacteria to become resistant to the most potent anti-TB drugs and will be more difficult to treat. Improving the immune system by avoidance of smoking, eating a healthy diet, and having adequate rest and exercise will help greatly in the treatment of TB.

It is important to seek professional medical advice if one has the signs and symptoms of possible TB. Early detection and treatment will prevent future complications and further spread of the infection to others.

About the author
Dr. Arabelle Lijauco-Berto is an Internal Medicine Specialist at  The Medical City Dubai
located at Al Diyafah Street, Jumeirah First, beside Enoc Petrol Station,Dubai, UAE.
Contact No. 04-3434265, 055 135 4820 Clinic schedule: (Sun- Thurs- 1pm-9pm, Friday 9am-5pm)
website: www.samatmc.ae/ fb: www.facebook.com/samatmcdubai

Related Articles

Back to top button