10 TB (tuberculosis) facts

10 TB (tuberculosis) facts

In this article we will describe 10 TB (tuberculosis) facts. We hope you find it useful.

1. Tuberculosis (TB) is a long-term bacterial infection – that primarily affects the lungs, but can also affect almost all other parts of the body – including:

• Kidneys
• Liver
• Lining around the brain and spinal cord (meningitis)
• Heart muscle
• Genitals
• Lymph nodes
• Bones and joints
• Skin
• Voice box, also called larynx.

For this reason, it is known as the ‘great pretender’ as it can present in so many different ways.

TB  can cause serious complications if left untreated, including lung damage, meningitis, and death.

2. Cause and spread of TB – it is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB is spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

3. Symptoms of TB – depend on where in the body the TB bacteria are growing. TB bacteria usually grow in the lungs (pulmonary TB). TB disease in the lungs may cause symptoms such as:

• A bad cough that lasts 3 weeks or longer
• Chest pain (especially pleuritic)
• Coughing up blood or sputum.

Typical TB on a chest x-ray

Other non-specific symptoms of TB disease are:

• Weakness or fatigue
• Weight loss
• Lack of appetite
• Fever and rigors
• Sweating at night.

Symptoms of TB disease in other parts of the body depend on the area affected.

4. TB is a major global health problem – with an estimated 10 million new cases and 1.4 million deaths each year. TB is more common in developing countries, but it is also present in developed countries. But TB can affect anyone, in any country.

5. TB is treated – with a combination of antibiotics for six to nine months. In pulmonary (lung) TB, you will be prescribed at least a 6-month course of a combination of antibiotics.

The usual treatment is:

• 2 antibiotics (isoniazid and rifampicin) for 6 months
• 2 additional antibiotics (pyrazinamide and ethambutol) for the first 2 months of the 6-month treatment period.

It may be several weeks before you start to feel better. The exact length of time will depend on your overall health and the severity of your TB.

After taking antibiotics for 2 weeks, most people are no longer infectious and feel better.

6. TB is a curable disease – but treatment requires adherence to the medication regimen.

7. TB can be prevented – through vaccination with the Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine.

8. People with weakened immune systems – such as those with HIV/AIDS, are more susceptible to TB. A person with HIV is 20 times more likely to develop active TB.

9. What is the difference between latent TB infection and TB disease?

People with latent TB infection – have TB bacteria long-term in their bodies, but they are not sick because the bacteria are not active. These people do not have symptoms of TB disease, and they cannot spread the germs to others. However, they may develop TB disease in the future. Many more patients have latent TB. About 10% of latent infections progress to active disease.

People with TB disease – are sick from TB bacteria that are active, meaning that they are multiplying and destroying tissue in their body. They usually have symptoms of TB disease. People with TB disease of the lungs or throat are capable of spreading germs to others. These patients need treatment.

10. What is multidrug-resistant TB? – though uncommon in the UK there are strains of TB that are resistant to 2 or more antibiotics. This is known as multidrug-resistant TB.

Multidrug-resistant TB requires a much longer course of antibiotics; between 9 to 24 months depending on the strain. Multidrug-resistant TB tends to have less favourable outcomes than standard TB.

Summary

We have described 10 TB (tuberculosis) facts. We hope you understand it better now.