Tuberculosis (TB): One of the top 10 infectious diseases in the world
By: Sonia Atube; Environmental Health Student
Tuberculosis (TB) is an airborne bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that primarily affects the lungs. TB can also affect other organs and tissues such as the brain, spine, and skin. During the 18th and 19th centuries, TB was commonly called “Captain Among These Men of Death” because it was known to claim the lives of its victims. The emergence of HIV/AIDs in 1985 led to a significant increase in TB infections; HIV weakens the immune system, preventing the body from fighting the TB germ. In recent times, there has been a decline in the number of cases with the help of control programs, but TB remains a concern due to the increase of new strains that resist antibiotics used to treat the infection.
In 2020, Canada Recorded:
1,772 active Tuberculosis cases
69 Deaths = 21 females, 48 males
Pictured Left: Air transmission of Tuberculosis from person to person
Picture Source: https://www.cdc.gov/tb/topic/basics/howtbspreads.htm
How can you get infected? TB germs are transmitted when a person who is sick with TB disease of the lungs– coughs, speaks, laughs, or sneezes, and the contaminated air containing TB bacteria gets inhaled by someone else.
What are the types of TB infection? TB disease can either be latent or active. Individuals who get infected with LATENT TB carry the bacteria but do not develop symptoms and do not transmit the disease to others. Latent TB, if not treated, may become active when the immune system becomes weak due to other underlying health conditions like HIV/AIDs. If a person gets infected with ACTIVE TB, this means they will develop symptoms and are capable of transmitting the infection to others.
What are the common symptoms of TB? Symptoms include coughing, chest pain, coughing up blood, difficulty breathing, unintentional weight loss, fever, chills, and night sweats.
How do you get diagnosed with TB? Tuberculosis is commonly diagnosed with skin or blood tests. A positive skin or blood test requires a confirmatory chest X-ray and sputum test to determine if the person has latent TB or Active TB.
Why is TB a concern? Treatment of TB infection is possible with antibiotics; however, tuberculosis remains a major killer due to the increase in drug-resistant strains. This happens when an infected person does not take their medication as directed or does not complete the treatment, leading to the survival of TB bacteria that become resistant to that drug. TB can be fatal if not properly treated.
Who is at risk of TB infection? People who work in facilities such as hospitals, homeless shelters, and nursing homes. Family and friends in contact with an infected person. Immunocompromised individuals such as people living with cancer, HIV, diabetes, and kidney disease. Travelling to high-risk areas like Africa, Asia, and Europe.
How do you prevent TB? Isolation of infected persons, wearing masks, covering coughs and sneezes to prevent spread to others. Finish antibiotics as prescribed by the doctor to prevent the development of drug resistant strains. Getting immunized with the Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine. Avoiding contact with infected people
REFERENCES
Association, A. L. (n.d.). Learn about tuberculosis. American Lung Association. Retrieved February 14, 2023, from https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/tuberculosis/learn-about-tuberculosis
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2021, April 3). Tuberculosis. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved February 14, 2023, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tuberculosis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351256
Zaman, K. (2010, April). Tuberculosis: A global health problem. Journal of health, population, and nutrition. Retrieved February 14, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2980871/
