Tuberculosis

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How is it spread?

           

It is spread from the air from one person to another. This happens when a person with an active case of TB in the lungs or throat coughs or sneezes. When a person breathes in TB, it settles in the lungs and begins to grow. From there, it can move to other parts of the body, including the kidney, spine, and brain.

Only TB in the lungs is contagious. TB in the kidney or spine is not.

 

How is it prevented?

 

The general prevention technique: Wash your hands, cover your mouth when you cough, sneeze, or laugh.  Isolate yourself from others; do not go to work or school, and sleep in a separate bedroom from others. Opening your window lessens the chance of TB bacteria spreading and infecting anyone who breathes in the air.

 

Interesting information

 

In the world, more men are diagnosed with tuberculosis and die from it. When it affects the Central Nervous System, it is called Meningitis. TB is one of the top three killer diseases in the world : HIV is the top, with 3 million, TB comes next with 2 million, and Malaria kills 1 million. The main reason TB is in the top three is because TB is the main killer of people with HIV.

 

Cure/ Work being done

 

There are multiple medicines for Tuberculosis. More than one medicine is needed because of the large growth of bacteria it needs to kill, as well as making sure the bacteria do not become tolerant towards the medicine. The medicine must be taken regularly, otherwise a more serious form of TB with occur: Multi-Drug Resistant TB, or MDR TB. Special medicines are given for this form of TB, but the effects are weaker and there are more side effects.

 

Symptoms

 

At first, TB is silent or “latent” – the patient does not necessarily feel it. When the lung disease becomes active, symptoms include cough that lasts for two to three weeks, weight loss, loss of appetite, fever, night sweats, and coughing up blood.