All you need to know about Tuberculosis

Around 1.4 million people died of tuberculosis in 2019, according to reports published by the World Health Organisation. Unfortunately, India happens to be the country that is leading in TB cases worldwide. In India, TB kills around 480,000 people a year which is about 1400 persons in a day.

Assess what is tuberculosis disease and the causes of tuberculosis disease. Read on!

What is tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Typically it affects the lungs, but there are cases where it also affects the spine and the brain. Tuberculosis spreads from person to person by coughing or sneezing, where the bacteria travels through the droplets and reaches another person’s system.

Most of the time, this bacteria may be present in a body without any symptoms, and then the disease is called latent tuberculosis.

What is tuberculosis bacteria?

The bacterium that causes TB is called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This bacterium contains a waxy coating with a covering of mycolic acid. The physiology of this microbe is highly aerobic, and it requires high oxygen levels. This microbe also happens to be non-motile.

Strangely this bacterium divides every 18-24 hours, which is relatively slower than other bacteria that divide roughly every 20 minutes.

What is pulmonary tuberculosis?

When Mycobacterium tuberculosis affects the lungs primarily, it is called pulmonary tuberculosis. It is challenging for macrophages to destroy this bacteria in the lungs, therefore damaging the lung tissue.

What are the symptoms of tuberculosis?

You may be afraid of the most common signs and symptoms of tuberculosis. In extreme cases, they tend to be very frightening as it involves blood in the sputum. Some of the common symptoms of tuberculosis disease are:

Coughing for three for more weeks
Coughing up blood in the sputum
Chest pain
Pain while breathing or coughing
Unintentional weight loss
Fatigue
Fever
Night sweats
Chills
Loss of appetite

The early symptoms of tuberculosis infection are low-grade fever, a prolonged cough that does not clear for weeks and fatigue. So expect the diagnosis to come after a month or so.

If you notice any of these symptoms of TB disease, do not waste time getting it checked by a doctor as the treatment procedure is lengthy and takes months.

How does tuberculosis spread?

Pulmonary TB spreads in the following ways:

Shaking hands
Sharing food and drink
Sleeping in the same bed
Kissing

Since TB spreads in the air, it can also pass from person to person through coughing, sneezing, laughing and singing.

What are the main causes of tuberculosis?

There is only one cause of tuberculosis. It is the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It can affect a person when he or she is in prolonged contact with the person who already has the disease. Hence family members who are in close contact with each other tend to get Tuberculosis. Most people cannot pass this infection on once they have begun treatment in about two weeks. Tuberculosis is caused by the Mycobacterium that grows albeit slowly.

Which parts of the body does TB affect?

Tuberculosis affects the lungs. However, it is not uncommon to find it affecting the other parts of the body. TB can be formed in the lymph nodes, the bones, and joints, reproductive system, digestive, and bladder system. It can also affect the nervous system.

Some other symptoms of tuberculosis can also include:

Persistently swollen glands
Abdominal pain
Pain in the affected bone or joint
Confusion
Persistent headache
Fits

How is tuberculosis most commonly diagnosed?

There are two diagnostic tests for TB. The TB blood test and the TB skin test. These tests will show the presence of the bacterium. These tests cannot show if the infection is active or latent. To confirm that, the sputum from the lungs or a chest X-ray is required.

The skin test is done by injecting the region just below the skin with the TB protein. A few days later, the induration around the injected area is measured to see if TB is present. A small induration means a negative result, and a large induration indicates a positive result.

So if you were wondering how to diagnose, the test can be prescribed by a doctor and should not take more than two days to complete.

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What is the best treatment for tuberculosis?

How to treat tuberculosis depends on the nature of the infection. The infection could be latent or active, or resistant. The drugs for each type will differ, and the duration of the treatment will also vary.

If the infection is latent, the drugs given include isoniazid and rifapentine or rifampin. These can be given as separate medicines or a combined dose. The treatment lasts up to 9 months.

In the case of an active infection, the medication is a bit different. In addition to isoniazid and rifampin, ethambutol and pyrazinamide are administered. The treatment takes anywhere between 6 -12 months.

For those diagnosed with Multi-drug resistant TB, the treatment may require a different set of drugs and injections, which continues for a longer period of time.

Whatever be the diagnosis, you have to complete the course of medication and not abandon it halfway through.

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How long TB treatment takes?

The treatment for tuberculosis varies from 6 months to 30 months, depending on the type of infection. In latent infection, isoniazid needs to be taken for 9 months and rifampin for 4 months. For the combined dose of the medicine, the treatment lasts 3 months.

For an active infection, all 4 drugs may be given for 2-3 months, and then 2 of them are continued for the next 4 -9 months. If the infection does not clear up, medication may continue for 12 months.

Treatment of Multi-drug-resistant TB uses a combination of drugs like fluoroquinolones, injections of antibiotics which may go on for 20 months or more till it is cured.

When attempting to know how to cure TB, you can easily consult with a doctor to understand which drugs you will use.

Tuberculosis treatment side effects

Common side effects from medication include the following -

Itchiness and rashes
Pain in the lower abdomen area
Dark urine
Dizziness
Fatigue
Nausea

What are the risk factors of tuberculosis?

There are plenty of risk factors of pulmonary tuberculosis. People who are at most risks of the disease include the following :

People who have lived in or come from a country where there are high cases of tuberculosis
Those who have been in prolonged contact with people who have had TB
Those who have lived in crowded conditions
People with the condition that affects their immune system such as diabetes
Persons who are taking treatment that affects their immune system, such as chemotherapy or immune agents
Those persons who are very young or very old, as their immune systems are weaker than healthy adults
Those in poor health with a poor diet because of lifestyle or drug or alcohol misuse

These are the persons who are at high risk of getting TB. Now that you are aware of what are the risk factors of TB, you can easily take precautions to care for yourself better.

What are the best home remedies for tuberculosis?

Though the treatment of TB is possible through drugs, there are some natural home remedies for tuberculosis.

Garlic contains sulphuric acid, which helps to build up your immunity and fights tuberculosis bacteria.
Mint is rich in antioxidants, which boost immunity and clears the lungs and fights TB bacteria.
Amla, or the Indian gooseberry, has antibacterial properties. A glass of amla juice does wonders for the immune system.
Green tea contains polyphenols and antioxidants that build up immunity.
Black pepper helps to clear the lungs.

All these home remedies for pulmonary tuberculosis aim at strengthening the immune system. They need to be tried in consultation with the doctor as some may work against the medication prescribed.

How can we prevent tuberculosis?

Infected persons are treated at home but need to take care that the infection does not spread. It can spread through coughing, spitting and sneezing. Preventive measures of tuberculosis include the following.

Cough or sneeze with a tissue over the mouth so that the droplets do not spread out.
The tissue should be sealed in a bag and disposed off immediately.
Wash hands after coughing or sneezing.
Wear a face mask
Avoid going out to public places
Keep the room airy with good air circulation
Complete the full course of medicines.
Avoid using public transport.
Get the BCG vaccination done.

With these methods on how to prevent tuberculosis, try to implement them in your day-to-day life and protect yourself.

What to do when initial symptoms appear?

Anyone displaying the initial signs of TB needs to start treatment as soon as possible. Other family members coming in contact with them need to be cautious that they are not exposed to the cough droplets. Cough etiquette needs to be followed. The infected person should avoid going out as much as possible. The room of the infected person should have proper ventilation. All these restrictions should be done for a few months after treatment has started.

In conclusion, tuberculosis can be a life-debilitating disease, so you should be concerned about the after-effects of the disease as well. It would help if you took the time to build your immune system and general health after recovery. While TB is no longer viewed as the dangerous disease it once was, it does help to be careful and get treatment immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions

✓ Why is there weight loss in tuberculosis?

Weight loss is a determining factor of tuberculosis. It could be because of the role of plasma leptin that is responsible for the drop in weight. Its function is currently being investigated. Other reasons are loss of appetite, nausea and abdominal pain.

✓ Can a person with TB go to work?

No. It is dangerous for a person to go to work with tuberculosis. Especially at the onset of the disease, when the bacteria are most active, there is no need to venture outdoors as you may be putting others at risk. However, once the medication has been administered and a couple of weeks have passed, it is time to consult your doctor whether it is safe to go back to work or school.

✓ Can you get tuberculosis again?

Even if a person successfully beats tuberculosis, he is likely to get it again. There are cases of the reinfection of TB. Around up to 7% of those who have beaten TB once are at a risk of getting the disease again in 2 years. Hence if you notice the symptoms again, it is better to consult a doctor and retake treatment.

✓ How can a person strengthen a lung after TB?

Tuberculosis affects the lungs. Hence, to get your lungs back to their peak condition, you can do many breathing exercises that will help you breathe again without any trouble.