LEARN THE COMMON FACTS ABOUT TUBERCULOSIS ON WORLD TUBERCULOSIS DAY

When is world tuberculosis day celebrated?

World tuberculosis day is celebrated on March 24 every year. It was on this day in the year 1882 that Dr. Robert Koch discovered the TB-causing bacterium. It was an important milestone in the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis.

According to an estimate by WHO (World Health Organization), 9.9 million people suffered from TB and 1.5 million people died from tuberculosis worldwide in 2020. Speaking about India, 21.4 lakh cases of TB were reported in 2021.

Such high numbers are not justified for a disease like tuberculosis. This is because it is completely curable and preventable.

A few decades back, TB was among the most devastating illnesses in the world. It affected health adversely. It also affected the socioeconomic status of a country. Back then, there were only limited resources to spread information about tuberculosis. With great advancements in communication technologies, this is not the case anymore.

World Tuberculosis Day on March 24 is observed to spread public awareness about tuberculosis. This is an attempt to decrease its incidence and eventually eradicate this life-threatening disease.

What causes tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A surprising fact about TB is that many of us may have this bacterium inside our bodies without us realizing it. About one-fourth of the world’s population gets infected by TB bacteria. But only a small percentage of these fall sick and develop symptoms.

This bacterium forms dormant foci in the lungs. It can stay there without causing any illness. If the immune system gets weakened due to some illness, malnutrition, or any other reason, the dormant bacteria get reactivated and cause illness.

What are the symptoms of tuberculosis?

TB bacteria can stay in the body without causing illness. It's called latent TB infection. Latent TB does not cause any symptoms. It is not contagious. But it can turn into active TB. So treatment is recommended.

Active tuberculosis can result in the following symptoms:

• Cough that persists for three weeks or more.

• Low-grade fever.

• Blood in the sputum.

• Chest pain.

• Difficulty breathing.

• Fatigue.

• Unexplained weight loss.

• Chills.

• Night sweats.

Tuberculosis is primarily a lung disease. But the infection can also spread to other organs such as bone, spine, kidneys, female genital tract, etc.

How does tuberculosis spread?

Active tuberculosis is an infectious disease. The infection spreads from person to person. It spreads through air droplets containing the bacterium when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

How to prevent tuberculosis?

One of the best ways to prevent tuberculosis is to keep your immune system strong. This can be done by taking a well-balanced diet. These include fresh fruits and vegetables, and exercising regularly.

BCG vaccine given to newborns protects against tuberculosis. It should be administered immediately after the birth of the infant.

Microbes thrive well in closed spaces. This includes TB bacteria. Hence, one way to prevent the spread of TB is by maintaining good ventilation and sunlight at your workplace and home.

People with active tuberculosis symptoms should wear a face mask. This is to prevent the spread of infection. They should do so till the completion of their treatment.

What is the treatment of tuberculosis?

Tuberculosis can be successfully treated with antibiotics. These need to be taken for 6 to 9 months. The duration depends upon the age, severity of infection, comorbid conditions, etc. The most common drugs used for the treatment of tuberculosis include isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide.

The long duration of treatment causes compliance issues in the treatment of TB. After a few weeks of taking the medicines, there is symptom relief. Quite a few patients discontinue the treatment. This is a very wrong approach. It may lead to the development of drug-resistant tuberculosis.

When the treatment is not completed, the remaining TB pathogen develops resistance to the drugs previously used. This makes it much more difficult to kill them. This is the biggest hurdle in the treatment and eradication of tuberculosis from the world. It is thus extremely important to complete the tuberculosis treatment without missing any doses.

Who are at a higher risk of getting tuberculosis?

Though anyone can get tuberculosis, certain factors can increase the risk of developing an active TB infection:

1) Weak immune system: Immune system can be weakened by certain diseases and medications such as:

• HIV/AIDS. 

• Diabetes.

• Chemotherapy drugs used for cancer treatment.

• Anti-rejection medications are given to organ transplant patients.

• Malnutrition.

• Very young or old age.

2) Travelling to or living in areas that have a higher prevalence of tuberculosis. These include Asia, Africa, Russia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.

3) Other factors that can increase the risk of TB include smoking, excessive alcohol intake, substance abuse, healthcare professionals, living in closed spaces such as prisons, shelters, residential care facilities, etc.

Conclusion

Tuberculosis is one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide. Approximately 1.5 million people die from it each year. World Tuberculosis Day is observed on March 24th each year. This is done to raise awareness about the global epidemic of tuberculosis (TB) and the efforts needed to eliminate the disease. It can be treated and prevented if detected early.

This makes it even more important to spread information about TB treatment and prevention on this special day. On World Tuberculosis Day, organizations around the world come together to raise awareness about TB. They encourage individuals and communities to take steps towards eliminating this deadly disease from our lives forever.