World Tuberculosis Day-How we can overcome

There is an increase in the rate of Tuberculosis in today’s world. The World Health Organization, (WHO) held a commemoration for this year’s World Tuberculosis Day with the theme “Invest to End TB, Save Lives’.

It warns that the disease remains one of the deadliest infectious killers across the world and more than 4,100 people lose their lives to TB while close to 28, 000 people fall ill with the preventable and curable disease.

Research says Nigeria is ranked 17th among the 30 high TB burden countries and 2nd in Africa. The research estimates that 407, 000 people in the country contract Tuberculosis each year.

It is important to know the causes, symptoms, and prevention of the disease so we can overcome.

TB is caused by bacteria that spread through the air like cold or flu. It is passed on only from one infected person unto another.

• A cough that lasts more than 3 weeks
• Chest pain
• Coughing up blood
• Feeling tired all the time
• Night Sweats
• Chills
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss

Tuberculosis Treatment

Your treatment will depend on your infection.

• If you have latent TB,You might get isoniazid, rifapentine, or rifampin, either alone or combined. You’ll have to take the drugs for up to 9 months. If you see any signs of active TB, call your doctor right away.
• A combination of medicines also treats active TB. The most common are ethambutol, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and rifampin. You’ll take them for 6 to 12 months.
• If you have drug-resistant TB, your doctor might give you one or more different medicines. You may have to take them for much longer, up to 30 months, and they can cause more side effects.

Whatever kind of infection you have, it’s important to finish taking all of your medications, even when you feel better. If you quit too soon, the bacteria can become resistant to the drugs.

Tuberculosis Prevention

To help stop the spread of TB:

• If you have a latent infection, take all of your medication so it doesn’t become active and contagious.
• If you have active TB, limit your contact with other people. Cover your mouth when you laugh, sneeze, or cough. Wear a surgical mask when you’re around other people during the first weeks of treatment.
• If you’re traveling to a place where TB is common, avoid spending a lot of time in crowded places with sick people.

Tuberculosis vaccine

Children in countries where TB is common often get the BCG vaccine. It isn’t widely used in the United States, and it doesn’t always protect against infection. Doctors recommend it only for children living with someone who has an active TB infection with a very drug-resistant strain or who can’t take antibiotics.

Other vaccines are being developed and tested.

Culled from “Web MD”